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Posts published in “Technology”

Samsung officially unveil the Galaxy S23 Ultra series of Smartphones

February 3, 2023

Last Wednesday, Feb. 1st, at the Galaxy Unpacked 2023 – Samsung has officially announced their next line of smartphones, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. It composed of 3 new smartphones; the Galaxy S23 and the larger Galaxy S23+, then there’s the premium version the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23+

The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+ are basically the same phones, the only difference is on the display, storage and battery. The Galaxy S23 features a 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display and a 3,900mAh battery, while the Galaxy S23+ will have a 6.1-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display and a whopping 4,700mAh battery.

Both phones will use Corning’s latest Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and Quamcomm’s Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform.

Both Galaxy S23s will have same 8GB RAM, the storage offerings of the smaller Galaxy S23 will start at 128GB, up to 256GB of storage, while the larger Galaxy 23+ will be 256GB and up to 512GB of storage.

Both the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23+ will be available in 4 colors; Cream, Lavender, Phantom Black, Green. Plus 2 online exclusive colors; Lime and Graphite. The starting price of the Galaxy S23 will be $799.99 and the Galaxy S23+ will be $999.99. Samsung is already taking pre-orders.

Samsung Galaxy S23 & Galaxy S23 Plus

Here are the specs for both the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+;

Galaxy S23 Galaxy S23+
Display 6.1-inch FHD+* 6.6-inch FHD+*
Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate (48~120Hz) Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate (48~120Hz)
240Hz Touch Sampling Rate in Game Mode 240Hz Touch Sampling Rate in Game Mode
Vision booster Vision booster
Enhanced comfort Enhanced comfort
Dimensions & Weight 2.79 x 5.76 x 0.3in, 5.93oz 3.07 x 6.43 x 0.35in, 6.91oz
Camera 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera
• F2.2, FOV 120˚
50 MP Wide Camera
• F1.8, FOV 85˚
10MP Telephoto Camera
• 3x Optical Zoom, F2.4, FOV 36˚
12MP Front Camera
• F2.2, FOV 80˚
Processor Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy
Memory & Storage 8 + 256GB 8 + 512GB
8 + 128GB 8 + 256GB
Battery 3,900mAh 4,700mAh
OS Android 13
One UI 5.1
Network and Connectivity 5G*, LTE**, Wi-Fi 6E***, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth® v 5.3
Security Samsung Knox, Samsung Knox Vault
Water Resistance IP68

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung also announced a premium smartphones that they’re calling the Galaxy S23 Ultra. From the looks of its specs, Samsung went all-out on this device. Just like the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23+, the Galaxy S23 Ultra uses Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform. It supports the S Pen, for productivity, notetaking, hobbies, etc.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra will also have the largest battery capacity with 5,000mAh and the main rear camera will use a “new 200MP Adaptive Pixel sensor” for taking that “epic” photo.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra will be available in 3 configuration; 12GB RAM with 1TB storage, 12GB RAM and a 512GB storage, and 8GB RAM with 256GB storage. The phone will be available in available in 4 colors; Cream, Lavender, Phantom Black, Green; and 4 online exclusive colors; Lime, Graphite, Sky Blue, and Red.

The starting price for the Galaxy S23 Ultra will be at $1,199.99 for the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration. Pre-order for the Galaxy S23 Ultra is now available.

Here’s the specs of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra;

Galaxy S23 Ultra
Display 6.8-inch QHD+ Edge*
Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display
Super Smooth 120Hz refresh rate (1~120Hz)
240Hz Touch Sampling Rate in Game Mode
Vision booster
Enhanced comfort
Dimensions & Weight 3.07 x 6.43 x 0.35 in , 8.25oz
Camera 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera
• F2.2, FOV 120˚
200 MP Wide Camera
• F1.7, FOV 85˚
10MP Telephoto Camera
• 3x Optical Zoom, F2.4, FOV 36˚
10MP Telephoto Camera
• 10x Optical Zoom, F4.9, FOV 11˚
12MP Front Camera
• F2.2, FOV 80˚
AP Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy
Memory & Storage 12GB + 1TB
12 + 512GB
8 + 256GB
Battery 5,000mAh
OS Android 13
One UI 5.1
Network and Connectivity 5G*, LTE**, Wi-Fi 6E***, Wi-Fi Direct Bluetooth® v 5.3

Official Unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Series

EA to shutdown Apex Legends Mobile after 90 days

February 1, 2023

EA’s Respawn Entertainment, the makers of Apex Legends, just announced that they will sunset the the mobile version of Apex Legends. In their announcement, the company said that players with existing Syndicate Gold can keep playing the full game until 4 PM PDT on May 1st, 2023, which is when the game will stop operating on all regions.

The game publisher did not provide any reason for the decision except that the game “fall short of that bar for quality, quantity, and cadence.” The company added that both “Respawn and the Apex Legends team remain excited about mobile as a platform and look forward to new opportunities to serve players there in the future.”

Nissan collaborates with New Balance to create – Nissan Kicks 327 Edition

January 27, 2023

Nissan and New Balance just create a one of a kind car that both car-lovers and sneaker heads will surely like. It’s not uncommon for car manufacturer to partner with fashion and lifestyle brands to create a “new” product; like the Puma Ferrari shoes or the Porche Design Huawei Mate 40 RS, but with Nissan and New Balance collab it’s the other way around, instead of the car-inspired shoe design, they created a “shoe-inspired” car design. Both Nissan and New Balance literally created a Nisan Kicks, one that they’re calling Nissan Kicks 327 Edition.

Nissan Kicks 327 Edition is “Nissan Kicks e-POWER 4WD” wrapped with New Balance “327” specifications. The car was wrapped material to represent the suede fabric texture of the “327” shoes and the tongue part was carefully created from the reproduction of the shape to the texture of the shoe.

Nissan did not mention if they will mass product the Nissan Kicks 327 Edition but it was exhibited at NISSAN CROSSING (Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo) starting last Tuesday, January 24th until this Wednesday, February 1st.

For reference, this is what the New Balance 327 looks like.

Source: New Balance Japan

Kris Aquino posted a heartfelt message for her mom’s 90th Birthday

January 26, 2023

Queen of All Media, Kris Quino, Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino in real life, took to social media in sending her message for the 90th birthday of Former President Cory Aquino.

In her 10-minute Instagram video, Kris shared how she copes with four autoimmune diseases, showing how challenging her medical situation has been and also explain the conditions she is dealing with, even though she believes her mother can see everything from heaven.

You can watch the full video below;

Apple announces new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max

January 19, 2023

Together with the new Mac mini, Apple also announced a new MacBook Pro powered by the new M2 Pro and M2 Max. With the new M2 Pro and M2 Max, the new Macbook Pros’ “battery life will be up to 22 hours — the longest battery life ever in a Mac.”

The new Macbook Pro features Liquid Retina XDR display, 16GB unified memory that’s configurable up to 96GB RAM, a 22 hours battery life, 512GB SSD storage which you can upgrade up to 8 TB. As for expansion slots, you’ll find SDXC card slot, HDMI port, 3.5 mm headphone jack and MagSafe 3 port for charging. It also have Thunderbolt 4 for charging and display. Its backlit magic Keyboard will have an integrated Touch ID, ambient light sensor and force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control and pressure-sensing capabilities; enables Force clicks, accelerators, pressure-sensitive drawing, and multi-touch gestures.

For connectivity it supports Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax and Bluetooth 5.3. The new Macbook Pro will have a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, six built-in speakers with force-cancelling woofers and wide stereo sounds. If you’re concern about the weight there a very small different between the weight of the Macbook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max. Right out of the box, the new Macbook Pro will run Apple’s latest macOS Ventura.

The new MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max are now available for order in 27 countries and they will begin arriving to customers and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers starting Tuesday, January 24.

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro starts at $1,999 (USD) and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro starts at $2,499 (US).

MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max will be available in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and Singapore beginning Friday, February 3.

You can read Apple’s full announcement here.

Apple intros new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro

January 19, 2023

Apple just announced an updated version of the Mac mini powered by their very own M2 and the all-new M2 Pro Soc.

Mac Mini with M2 chip

The new Mac mini with the M2 features an 8-core CPU with four high-performance and four high-efficiency cores, along with a 10-core GPU — perfect for users looking for superfast performance and incredible productivity at an even more affordable starting price of $599. It supports up to 24GB of unified memory and 100GB/s of bandwidth and the M2 model can also simultaneously play up to two streams of 8K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps, or up to 12 streams of 4K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps.

Specs of Mac Mini with M2 chip;
Apple M2 chip
– 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
– 10-core GPU
– 16-core Neural Engine
– 100GB/s memory bandwidth
8GB unified RAM, configurable to 16GB or 24GB
256GB SSD, configurable to 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB
2x Thunderbolt 4 ports
2x USB-A ports
HDMI port
Gigabit Ethernet ports
3.5 mm headphone jack
Built-in speaker
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Ethernet Connectivity
3.58cm x 19.70cm x 19.70cm dimension
1.18 kg weight

Apple Mac mini with Studio Display and Magic accessories.

Mac Mini with M2 Pro chip

The new Mac mini with the M2 Pro will provide pro-level performance with up to 12-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, together with an up to a 19-core GPU. It supports up to 32GB of memory, a faster Neural Engine and a powerful media engine for streaming 8K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps, or up to 23 streams of 4K ProRes 422 video at 30 fps. The M2 Pro-powered model is up to 14x faster than the fastest Intel-based Mac mini.

Specs of Mac Mini with M2 Pro chip;
Apple M2 Pro chip
– 10-core CPU with 6 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
– 16-core GPU
– 16-core Neural Engine
– 200GB/s memory bandwidth
16GB unified RAM, configurable 32GB
512GB SSD, configurable to 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB
4x Thunderbolt 4 ports
2x USB-A ports
HDMI port
Gigabit Ethernet ports
3.5 mm headphone jack
Built-in speaker
Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Ethernet Connectivity
3.58cm x 19.70cm x 19.70cm dimension
1.28 kg weight

The new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro is now available for order and will start arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Tuesday, January 24. Mac mini with M2 will have starting price of $599, while the Mac mini with M2 Pro will be $1,299. Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro will be available in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, and New Zealand beginning Friday, February 3.

LinkedIn published the 15 fastest-growing job titles in the Philippines

January 19, 2023

LinkedIn, the social media network for professionals and businesses just reveal the 15 fastest-growing job titles in the Philippines. The list is a good reference for those who are planning to switch jobs or gauge if there’s long term opportunity in the industry where you’re at.

LinkedIn explained that the list was published by “LinkedIn Economic Graph researchers examined millions of jobs started by LinkedIn members from January 1, 2018 to July 31, 2022 to calculate a growth rate for each job title.” and added “To be ranked, a job title needed to see consistent growth across our membership base, as well as have grown to a meaningful size by 2022.”

Here’s the full list of LinkedIn’s 15 fastest-growing job titles in the Philippines;

  1. Clinical Research Associate

    • What they do: Clinical research associates are responsible for the setup, conduct, and supervision of clinical trials and studies designed to determine the effectiveness and safety of drugs, products, and procedures.
    • Most common skills: Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Clinical Monitoring, Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS)
    • Most common industries: Manufacturing, Professional Services, Hospitals and Health Care

  2. Business Development Representative

    • What they do: Business development representatives help both the marketing and sales departments of a company by identifying, connecting, and nurturing new clients in order to generate new revenue.
    • Most common skills: Lead Generation, Business Development, Cold Calling.
    • Most common industries: Technology and Media, Professional Services, Entertainment Providers.

  3. Insights Analyst

    • What they do: Insights analysts are responsible for translating a company’s financial, customer, and market data into insights that can help the business make informed decisions.
    • Most common skills: Microsoft Power BI, Business Insights, Data Visualization
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Manufacturing, Technology and Media

  4. Delivery Specialist

    • What they do: Delivery specialists manage projects on behalf of clients, making sure that projects are completed within deadlines and budgets and that projects meet every client specification.
    • Most common skills: Service Delivery, Alteryx, Business Process Improvement
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Technology and Media, Administrative and Support Services

  5. Anti-Money Laundering Analyst

    • What they do: Anti-money laundering analysts help organizations comply with anti-money laundering regulations by monitoring financial transactions and investigating any suspicious activity.
    • Most common skills: KYC Verification, Anti-Money Laundering, Due Diligence
    • Most common industries: Financial Services, Professional Services, Technology and Media

  6. Media Analyst

    • What they do: Media analysts measure the success of advertising campaigns and other marketing activities through the monitoring of media channels and analysis of media data.
    • Most common skills: Media Analysis, Media Monitoring, Data Analysis
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Technology and Media, Financial Services

  7. Customer Success Specialist

    • What they do: Customer success specialists help businesses retain existing customers by responding to inquiries, resolving issues, and providing other support that ensure customer satisfaction.
    • Most common skills: Account Management, Customer Success, Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Technology and Media

  8. Virtual Medical Assistant

    • What they do: Virtual medical assistants take care of many administrative and clerical duties for clinics or hospitals, including the maintenance of medical databases, appointment scheduling, patient billing, and insurance coverage processing.
    • Most common skills: Virtual Assistance, Medical Assisting, Appointment Scheduling
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Hospitals and Health Care, Administrative and Support Services

  9. Salesforce Consultant

    • What they do: Salesforce consultants help companies use the Salesforce CRM software, providing expert guidance during the setup, implementation, and optimisation of the tool to suit the company’s needs.
    • Most common skills: Salesforce.com Administration, Apex Programming, Salesforce Sales Cloud
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Technology and Media, Manufacturing

  10. Data Engineer

    • What they do: Data engineers work with raw data and transform it into a format that’s more accessible and usable for further analysis by data scientists.
    • Most common skills: Data Engineering, Load (ETL), Python (Programming Language)
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Oil, Gas, and Mining

  11. Security Operations Center Analyst

    • What they do: Security operations center analysts protect a company’s computer network by monitoring system activity, identifying and responding to threats, and patching any system security flaw.
    • Most common skills: Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Security Operations Center, Cybersecurity
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Technology and Media

  12. DevOps Engineer

    • What they do: DevOps engineers sit between software development and software operation teams to improve end user experience, balancing the rollout of new features with maintaining the stability and security of the software.
    • Most common skills: DevOps, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kubernetes
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Technology and Media

  13. Product Owner

    • What they do: Product owners take the lead in all aspects of new product development and are responsible for setting the vision for the product, deciding what features the product should have, and managing the whole process from start to finish.
    • Most common skills: Agile Methodologies, Scrum, Product Management
    • Most common industries: Financial Services, Professional Services, Technology and Media

  14. Cloud Engineer

    • What they do: Cloud engineers manage a company’s cloud-based systems and are responsible for setting it up, ensuring its stability, implementing updates, and customizing its features to suit end users’ needs.
    • Most common skills: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Cloud Computing
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Technology and Media, Manufacturing

  15. Tax Associate

    • What they do: Tax associates help organizations file their taxes correctly, find opportunities for tax deductions, and provide guidance on tax-related matters.
    • Most common skills: Tax Preparation, Tax Compliance, Accounting
    • Most common industries: Professional Services, Financial Services, Real Estate and Equipment Rental Services

Source: TechJobs, LinkedIn

Apple just added a karaoke feature to Apple Music

December 11, 2022

Apple just announced that they are adding karaoke features to Apple Music. The company said that they’re calling this new feature Apple Music Sing, “a new feature that allows users to sing along to their favorite songs with adjustable vocals and real-time lyrics.” It added that “Apple Music Sing offers multiple lyric views to help fans take the lead, perform duets, sing backup, and more — all integrated within Apple Music’s unparalleled lyrics experience.”

The new feature will be available this month to all Apple Music Subscribers worldwide and can be access using compatible iPhones, iPads, and the new Apple TV 4K. Apple will also create 50 dedicated companion playlists featuring all of the karaoke friendly songs all around the world to sing and it’s fully optimized for the Apple Music Sing experience.

The compatible devices that Apple Music Sing will be available are; iPhone 11 to the latest iPhones; iPhone SE (third-generation, 2022); the iPad 9, 10, iPad mini 6, iPad Air 4 and 5; the M1 and M2 iPad Pro, and the said devices needs to updated to the latest iOS 16.2, which will be release this December 2022.

Carousell to layoff 10% of it’s global staff

December 5, 2022

Singapore-based Carousell just announced that it will layoff 10% of its staff or around 110 employees. The company made the announcement to all its staff via email and an official blogpost on their website. The company operates in 10 markets; Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Quek Siu Rui, Carousell’s Co-founder and CEO said in the post “I am deeply sorry for this outcome, and I take responsibility for the decisions that have led us here. Parting with teammates, whom we are grateful to for joining us on this mission, is a very difficult decision. We will be sure to treat everyone impacted with compassion and to lend as much support as we can to them.”

The company’s goal for the “impacted” employees is to help them in their job search by allowing them to keep their office laptop and continue their LinkedIn Learning membership until June 30, 2023; provide at least 3 months of compensation and, extend medical benefits and insurance coverage for employees and their dependents up to June 30, 2023, subject to approval by local insurers and medical service providers.

Carousell was founded in 2012, backed by Sequoia Capital India, Naver, 500 Global and Rakuten Capital, has raised a total of $372.6 million and acquired another of companies including OLX Philippines, after receiving an investment from Naspers.

Apple announces the 2022 App Store Award Winners

November 30, 2022

Apple just announced this year’s App Store Award winners and looks like games dominated this year’s winners. Apple also announced the winners for apps that have the most Cultural Impact, which are apps that “impacted people’s lives in awesome ways.”

The winning apps are selected selected by Apple’s App Store editorial international teams for their technical innovation, user experience and design, and the impact these apps have had on our lives. You can checkout the complete list below;

2022 App Store Award winners

  • iPhone App of the Year: BeReal
  • iPhone Game of the Year: Apex Legends Mobile
  • iPad App of the Year: GoodNotes 5
  • iPad Game of the Year: Moncage
  • Apple Watch App of the Year: Gentler Streak
  • Apple TV Game of the Year: El Hijo
  • Apple TV App of the Year: ViX
  • Mac App of the Year: MacFamilyTree 10
  • Mac Game of the Year: Inscryption
  • Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Wylde Flowers
  • China Game of the Year: League of Legends Esports Manager

Cultural Impact winners

  • Dot’s Home – Game(Free).
  • How We Feel – emotional wellbeing journal (Free).
  • Inua – Free Game.
  • Locket Widget – Social network and photo sharing (Free).
  • Waterllama – Health & Fitness (Free with in-app purchases).

Source: Apple

Blizzard Entertainment to suspend most of its services in China starting this January 2023

November 20, 2022

After it failed to reach an agreement with China’s Netease Games, US gaming giant, Blizzard Entertainment will suspend most, if not all of its services in China starting this January 2023. Both Netease Games and Blizzard Entertainment where not able to extend their 14-year licensing agreement, since started 2008.

It’s unclear how failed extension will affect both companies and but all is not lost, since Blizzard’s mobile game Diablo Immortal will continue operating under a separate agreement with NetEase.

Here’s the official announcement by Blizzard Entertainment;

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 16, 2022– Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. announced today that it will be suspending most Blizzard game services in mainland China due to the expiration of the current licensing agreements with NetEase, Inc. on January 23, 2023. This includes World of Warcraft®, Hearthstone®, Warcraft® III: Reforged, Overwatch®, the StarCraft® series, Diablo III®, and Heroes of the Storm®. Diablo Immortal® co-development and publishing is covered under a separate agreement between the two companies.

Blizzard Entertainment has had licensing agreements with NetEase since 2008, covering the publication of these Blizzard titles in China. The two parties have not reached a deal to renew the agreements that is consistent with Blizzard’s operating principles and commitments to players and employees, and the agreements are set to expire in January 2023.

We will suspend new sales in the coming days and Chinese players will be receiving details of how this will work soon. Upcoming releases for World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, Hearthstone: March of the Lich King, and season 2 of Overwatch 2 will proceed later this year.

“We’re immensely grateful for the passion our Chinese community has shown throughout the nearly 20 years we’ve been bringing our games to China through NetEase and other partners,” said Mike Ybarra, president, Blizzard Entertainment. “Their enthusiasm and creativity inspire us, and we are looking for alternatives to bring our games back to players in the future.”

Partnership like this is not uncommon in the gaming industry, since Riot Games partnered with Chinese gaming company Tencent distribute League of Legends in the country before the Chinese company acquired Riot Games for around $400 million.

Saudi Arabia launches its own electric vehicle brand – Ceer

November 10, 2022

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced the launching of Ceer – “the first Saudi electric vehicle brand that will contribute to Saudi Arabia’s automotive manufacturing sector.” The announcement is part of PIR and Saudi’s plan to diversify the country’s economy, as it moves away from oil dependency.

Ceer will also contribute to Kingdom’s “efforts towards carbon emissions reduction and driving sustainability to address the impact of climate change.” In the official announcement published by Saudi Press Agency (SPA), his Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) said;

Saudi Arabia is not just building a new automotive brand, we are igniting a new industry and an ecosystem that attracts international and local investments, creates job opportunities for local talent, enables the private sector, and contributes to increasing Saudi Arabia’s GDP over the next decade, as part of PIF’s strategy to drive the economic growth in line with Vision 2030.

Ceer is the first Saudi automotive brand that will will design, manufacture and sell a range of electric vehicles for consumers in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region. It is projected that Ceer will attract more than US$150 million of foreign direct investment, and create up to 30,000 direct and indirect jobs. Ceer is projected to directly contribute US$8 billion to Saudi Arabia’s GDP by 2034.

Ceer motors, the company behind Ceer, is a joint venture between PIF and Foxconn, will be using technology from BMW for its vehicle development process. Foxconn will also develop the electrical architecture of the vehicle, to power its infotainment, connectivity and autonomous driving technologies. Each vehicle will be designed and manufactured in Saudi Arabia, and will be tested to the highest global automotive quality control and safety standards. Ceer vehicles are expected to be on the road by 2025.

Source: SPA, ceermotors.com

How to Pre-Order the iPhone 14 in Saudi Arabia

September 12, 2022

If you are still high on the recent announcement of the new iPhone 14 series, and want to immediately order the device, then you’ve come to the right place.

There are a number of ways you can pre-order the iPhone 14; you can preorder the device thru your carrier or thru a retailer.

These are the leading carrier in Saudi Arabia where you can preorder the latest Apple smartphone;

  • Mobily – orders will be released 16/09/2022 except for iPhone 14 Plus which will be available on October 7th, 2022.
  • STC – you can order via mystc app, which means that you should be a current STC subscriber in order to have an active MY STC account.
  • Virgin Mobile – they offer a limited number of of iPhone 14s for pre-order. You can also pre-register your interest and once iPhone 14 are available they will notify you over SMS.
  • Virgin Mobile – you can pre order thru their mobile app.
  • Zain – Stock is limited, 1 order per customer and the iPhone will be released on 16 September 2022, while the iPhone 14 Plus will be available by 7th of October .

If you want to go and place your pre order thru a retailer, then these are the leading retailers in the Kingdom;

All retailers said that the the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will be release on September 16, 2022, while iPhone 14 Plus will be available by October 7th.

iPhone 14 & iPhone 14 Plus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehbmC1irQuY

iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max

Rewatch Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked August 2022

August 18, 2022
Rewatch Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked August 2022

If you’re like me, who is just catching up on the latest gadget/tech news for past two weeks, then you’re on the right place. Samsung recently help their annual unpacked and announced the latest products namely the Galaxy Z Flip4, Galaxy ZFold4, Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro and Galaxy Buds2 Pro.

To relive the experience, you can watch replay of the event below;

Warriors defeats Mavericks (126-117) in a come from behind win to to take Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals

May 21, 2022

Golden State Warriors secured their homecourt by taking game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. It was a classic third quarter game by the Warriors by erasing a 19-pt lead by the Mavs and reducing it to just 2-pts entering the 4th quarters.

The Golden State 3rd quarter run was fueled by Kevon Looney’s 20-points games, which also includes 12 rebounds and 2 assists. Otto Porter Jr. and Jordan Poole helped swing the momentum by contributing 11-points and 23-points, respectively.

Just like in game 1, all of Golden States’ starters scored double-digits points; Curry (32); Thompson (15); Wiggins (16); Looney (21); Porter Jr. (11) and Poole (23).

Compare to game 1; Mavs played a much better game getting a 42-points game from Luka Doncic and a 31-points contribution from Jalen Brunson. As a team, Mavs made 46.7% (21-45) of their shot from beyond the arc, but in the 3rd qtr, the team only made 2 of their 13-shot in the 3-point area.

Game 3 will in Dallas, where they’ve been playing great in the past two series.

Nintendo launches Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda

November 16, 2021

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the original The Legend of Zelda game, Nintendo recently launch the Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda system, it’s a standlone Game & Watch handheld system that where you can play three retro Zelda games; The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

If you have the Game & Watch: Super Mario, then this device is the exact same thing, like the screensize, metalic finish and those rubbery buttons, the main difference is the green color theme and has “The Legend of Zelda” plastered on the front and center of the device.

In the United States, the Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda retails at $49.99 or around SAR 187.50, but you can expect it to be priced in the Kingdom the same as Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros which is around SAR 400.00.

This article was first published on KabayanTech

Grand Theft Auto Trilogy now on Nintendo Switch

November 15, 2021

A remastered version of Grand Theft Auto Trilogy; GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas is now available for Switch users.

All three games are collectively available as ‘Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition’ which is available on Nintendo.com and Nintendo eShop on your device for $59.99 or around SAR 255.00.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition includes:

Grand Theft Auto III
It all starts in Liberty City. With the revolutionary freedom to go anywhere and jack anyone, Grand Theft Auto III puts the center of the criminal underworld at your fingertips.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Welcome to the 1980s. From the decade of big hair and pastel suits comes the story of one man’s rise to the top of the criminal pile. Grand Theft Auto returns with Tommy Vercetti’s tale of betrayal and revenge in a neon-soaked tropical town full of excess and brimming with possibilities.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Five years ago, Carl “CJ” Johnson escaped the haze of Los Santos, San Andreas…a city tearing itself apart with gang trouble, drugs, and corruption. Now, it’s the early ‘90s. On his return to the neighborhood, CJ is forced on a journey that takes him across the entire state of San Andreas, to save his family and to take control of the streets.

This article was first published on KabayanTech

Netflix Games now on iOS

November 10, 2021

After officially announcing Netflix Games for Android, Netflix Games will now be available for iOS users as well. The new gaming service will be available to Netflix subscribers with no ads, no extra fees and no in-app purchases.

Just like with the Android version, games that are available for Netflix Games on iOS are; Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, and Teeter Up. League of Legends spinoff – Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story will also be available on Netflix games. Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story will be cost you $10 on Nintendo Switch and PC but free if you have a Netflix subscription.

There are of course some things that you need to keep in mind when you play Netflix Games using your Netflix account and your Netflix profile.

  • Since Netflix Games have a maturity rating, you cannot use a Netflix profile to a Netflix Games with a high maturity rating.
  • Netflix Games can be played on multiple devices on the same account and just like with your Netflix account, there will be a limit on how many device you can use the same Netflix account. If you ever hit your limit, you can sign out of devices not in use, or remove them from your download devices.

From the looks of things, Netflix will make Netflix Games free as long as you are a subscriber, which is not a bad thing and could be a good strategy to grew and keep its subscribers.

This article was original posted on KabayanTech – Netflix Games now on iOS

OnePlus Nord 2 x PAC-MAN Edition announced in India

November 10, 2021

After officially announcing Netflix Games for Android, Netflix Games will now be available for iOS users as well. The new gaming service will be available to Netflix subscribers with no ads, no extra fees and no in-app purchases.

Just like with the Android version, games that are available for Netflix Games on iOS are; Stranger Things: 1984, Stranger Things 3: The Game, Shooting Hoops, Card Blast, and Teeter Up. League of Legends spinoff – Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story will also be available on Netflix games. Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story will be cost you $10 on Nintendo Switch and PC but free if you have a Netflix subscription.

There are of course some things that you need to keep in mind when you play Netflix Games using your Netflix account and your Netflix profile.

  • Since Netflix Games have a maturity rating, you cannot use a Netflix profile to a Netflix Games with a high maturity rating.
  • Netflix Games can be played on multiple devices on the same account and just like with your Netflix account, there will be a limit on how many device you can use the same Netflix account. If you ever hit your limit, you can sign out of devices not in use, or remove them from your download devices.

From the looks of things, Netflix will make Netflix Games free as long as you are a subscriber, which is not a bad thing and could be a good strategy to grew and keep its subscribers.

This article was originally posted on KabayanTech – OnePlus Nord 2 x PAC-MAN Edition announced in India

Facebook renames its corporate brand to Meta

October 29, 2021

In a video posted on his official Facebook account, Mark Zuckerberg officially announced that the Facebook will change its corporate name to Meta. Meta will now be the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Oculus. Zuckerberg’s announcement was made on the first day of the company’s annual Connect conference.

Here’s a video where Mark Zuckerberg introduce the company’s new name.

The new name will not affect any of Meta’s products or services, since this is more of a corporate restructuring similar to what Google made in 2015 when they changed its corporate name from Google to Alphabet, even though we still associate all of its company and subsidiary to “Google.”

Mark further explained what their vision for metaverse in a 1 hour video;

The change in Facebook’s corporate name was first reported by Alex Heath of The Verge. You can already read Meta’s official statement here.

Facebook is now back online and explains the reason for the outage

October 5, 2021

Facebook is now back, together with Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. After more than 6 hours of being down, the social media giant explained that the cause of the outage is a “configuration changes on the backbone routers that coordinate network traffic between our data centers caused issues that interrupted this communication. This disruption to network traffic had a cascading effect on the way our data centers communicate, bringing our services to a halt.”

Facebook with Messenger, Instagram and Whatsapp went down last night leaving billions of users unable to communicate and unreachable, especially those who only exclusively use the services by the social media giant.

Mark Zuckerberg also posted an apology;

Facebook’s explanation did not provide much details on the outage, which to most of its users won’t even care about, as long as the service is back online.

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are down

October 5, 2021

If you’re Instagram, Facebook and Whatsapp are unresponsive on your smartphone, then it you are not the only one, since all three services are currently down and Facebook already release a statement on twitter that they are aware of the issue and working to restore all three services.

A quick visit on Facebook.com, rather than the usual newsfeed, you will be greeted by a “Sorry, something went wrong.” message. While Instagram and Whatsapp, will give you the same “5xx Server Error.”

Here are the screenshots when I visit the websites.

On downdetector.com, it indicates that Facebook.com have been down for more than 2 hours now and the website received more than 125,00 reports at one time.

It’s unclear how long will the service be down and what is the caused of the downtime. I guess, we just need to wait and see.

You can now switch mobile carrier and use the same phone number as Mobile Number Portability takes effect

October 1, 2021

The Mobile Number Portability Act or RA 11202 officially takes effect, last Sept. 30th. In a nutshell, the Mobile Number Portability Act allows mobile users to keep the same mobile number when switching carrier or their subscription from postpaid to prepaid and vice versa, free of charge.

Smart, Globe and even DITO telecom are now accepting “switchers” for those who wants to change network providers and keep their mobile numbers.

According to Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. (TCI), a joint venture company formed by DITO, Globe and Smart, and the implementing arm of Mobile Number Portability Act, the basic requirements at conditions ng MNP o Mobile Number Portability below;

  1. Government issued ID
  2. Unique Subscriber Code (USC)
    • This is a 9-digit code issued by your current network provider to start the porting process
    • This serves as a clearance that your account is free from unpaid fees and balances.
    • This is valid for fifteen (15) days upon date of issue.<\li>
  3. Proof of mobile number ownership.

You can visit the respective FAQ page of the different telecoms below;

SABIC partners with Microsoft to create the first consumer electronic product made with recycled ocean plastic

October 1, 2021

Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), one of the world’s largest petrochemicals manufacturers, and Microsoft just announced that they will be launching the ‘Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse’ – the first consumer product made from recycled ocean plastic. The Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse is made from 20% recycled ocean plastic.

According to SABIC;

Ocean plastic is defined as plastic that has been certified by a third party as recovered from any ocean or ocean-feeding waterways or where it washed ashore from these locations. Ocean plastic differs from ocean-bound plastic in that ocean-bound plastic is recovered from ocean-feeding waterways, shorelines, and inland areas within a 50-kilometer radius of the ocean. The two recycled products play complementary roles in helping address the issue of ocean plastic waste.

Microsoft design team initially goal was to create a new plastic resin with 10% ocean plastic, after several rounds of reformulation, SABIC was able to exceed Microosft’s 10% goal and then final product contains 20% recycled ocean plastic by weight in its external casing or “shell.”

SABIC added that “this project has also provided a blueprint to demonstrate to the broader industry sector that recycling and reusing valuable plastic resins that have been recovered from the ocean, ocean – feeding waterways or where they have been washed ashore from these locations, is achievable when value chain partners use their knowledge and expertise and work together.”

SABIC added that “the SABIC-Microsoft collaboration envisions SABIC providing a new XENOY™ resin for Microsoft product use that is comprised of 20% ocean plastic, as part of SABIC’S TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio and services. This new XENOY™ resin with recycled ocean plastic can help reduce plastic waste in the ocean. For example, based on a resin grade comprised of 20% recycled content, for every 1kT of product containing recycled ocean-plastic XENOY™ PC/PET compound, an equivalent of 24 million single-use 0.5liter PET water bottles is removed from the ocean, ocean-feeding waterways, or ocean-adjacent shores.”

Microsoft first unveil the “Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse” during their September 2021 Event, which will can be pre-order in selected market for $24.99 or around SAR 94.00.

You can read SABIC’s official announcement here – SABIC AND MICROSOFT COLLABORATE TO CREATE MICROSOFT’S FIRST PRODUCT MADE WITH RECYCLED OCEAN PLASTIC

Sen. Manny Pacquiao retires from boxing, focuses on the coming 2022 National Election

September 29, 2021

In a two-word Facebook post, the 8-division world boxing champion, Sen. Manny Pacquiao announces his retirement from boxing and will focus on his Presidential bid for the coming 2022 National election.

The post also includes a 14-minutes video, showcasing high-lights of his boxing career. I embedded the facbeook post with the video below.

Manny Pacquiao previously accepted his nominations of the Pacquiao/Pimentel-led faction of PDP-Laban, for him to run for President in the coming 2022 Elections.

Lithuania recommends to dispose your Chinese smartphones because of censorship issue

September 22, 2021

Lithuania’s Defense Ministry recently release a statement recommending that consumers avoid buying Xiaomi smartphones and suggests to people to throw away the ones they have after a government report found the devices had built-in censorship features.

Xiaomi’s Mi 10T 5G flagship smartphones, which is sold in Europe, have a built-in ability to detect and censor terms such as “Free Tibet”, “Long live Taiwan independence” or “democracy movement”, Lithuania’s Cybersecurity agency said on Tuesday, Sept. 21.

The built-in censorship features in Xiaomi’s smartphones software is turned off for the “European Union region”, but can be turned on remotely at any time, the Defence Ministry’s National Cyber Security Centre said in the report. National Cyber Security Centre also said that Xiaomi’s phone was sending encrypted phone usage data to a server in Singapore.

A similar security flaw was also found in the Huawei’s P40 5G smartphone but none was found in OnePlus phones, another Chinese phone maker, that has a strong presence in the European Union region.

Huawei’s representative in the Baltics told the BNS news wire its phones “do not process user’s data outside the Huawei device.”

The report added the list of “censored” terms which could be blocked by the Xiaomi phone’s system apps, including the default internet browser, currently includes 449 terms in Chinese and is continuously updated.

Source: Reuters

Apple just release the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15

September 22, 2021

Apple just release the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, which you can download today. Owners of iPhone 10 and later model will benefit the most, when they update to the iOS 15, as it offers new and enhanced features.

If you are using the iPhone 6s or later model, you can download the new iOS 15, while the iPadOS 15 will be available to users of the following ipads;

  • iPad mini 4 and later
  • iPad Air 2 and later
  • iPad 5th generation and later
  • all iPad Pro models

Owners of iPhone 10 and later model will benefit the most when they update to the iOS 15, as it offers new and enhanced features.

Since iPadOS is just an optimized version of iOS, we can assume that most if not all features of iOS 15 will also be on iPadOS 15.

Here’s a rundown on the new and enhanced features on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15;

  • Enhancements on Facetime calls
  • Focus, which Apple says will help reduce distractions
  • New redesigned Notifications
  • On-device AI like Live Text, Advanced Spotlight Search, and Memories
  • Redesigned Safari browser, where the tab bar will be located at the bottom of the screen, to easily access the tabs and the introduction of Tab Groups that organize the browser tabs.
  • New visuals and navigation features for Maps
  • Redesigned Weather app
  • More Privacy controls
  • and more…

To read more on the new iOS 15, you can go here and here for more on iPadOS 15.

If you have ‘Automatic Updates’ turned on, your device should have updated to the latest iOS or iPadOS, without you doing anything, just in case it did not update, you can go to SEETINGS > GENERAL > SOFTWARE UPDATE, from there you should see the notification regarding the latest iOS or iPadOS, then just tap the DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL to proceed with the update.

iOS 14.8 now available for iPhone 6s and later models

September 22, 2021

Apple just release the iOS 14.8, which is ‘probably’ the last update for iOS 14 before the iOS 15 becomes available.

The iOS 14.8 provides the usual “security updates” and is recommended for users using the following devices;

  • iPhone 6s and later
  • iPad Pro (all models)
  • iPad Air 2 and later
  • iPad 5th generation and later
  • iPad mini 4 and later
  • iPod touch (7th generation)

If you have ‘Automatic Updates’ turned on, your device should have updated without you doing anything but incase it did not update, you can go to SEETINGS > GENERAL > SOFTWARE UPDATE, from there you should see the notification regarding the iOS 14.8 update, then just tap the DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL to update to the latest version of iOS 14.8.

You can find more information on the iOS 14.8 update by going to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212807.

iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max with Super Retina XDR with ProMotion now official

September 20, 2021

Apple also announced the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Just like with the non-pro iPhone 13, both the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max are technically the same phone with just the display, size and battery that differentiate them.

Here are the notable features that is shared by both Pro iPhones; the new tri-12MP camera system, the new Super Retina XDR with ProMotion and 1TB storage option.

The new tri-12MP camera system which is compose of a Wide angle lens, a telephoto lens and an ultra wide lens, all three cameras are powered by the new image signal processor (ISP) in the A15 Bionic.

The 12-MP Wide camera has a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels for less noise and faster shutter speeds needed in any lighting conditions. The Wide camera will have a larger ƒ/1.5 aperture which for those low light situations. The Ultra Wide camera features a wider ƒ/1.8 aperture and a new autofocus system, that is 92% better from the previous model for low-light environments. The combination of the new lens design, autofocus and advanced computational photography in iOS 15, will allow you to shoot macro photography, which is the first for iPhone but have been available on Android phones for years. The new lens can capture macro images with a minimum focus distance of 2 centimeters. You can also use slo-mo and time-lapse while on macro mode.

Here are sample macro photos taken using the new 12-MP Ultra Wide camera;

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will feature the new Super Retina XDR with ProMotion, that supports adaptive refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz. For those not familiar with the adaptive refresh rate, the screen automatically adjust the refresh rate depending on the app that is being used, if you are using a game that requires fast refresh rate or just reading the news or email that only requires a low refresh rate.

The new Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion takes advantage of the efficient OLED panel, new display engine of A15 Bionic, faster GPU performance, always-on touch coprocessor, and is custom designed to operate with iOS 15, making gestures, animations, and activities like gameplay feel faster and more responsive.

Other feature of the Pro iPhones, you can say, are the features that are also in the non-pro iPhones 13 and iPhone 13 mini. You can read all about the new iPhones 13 and iPhone 13 mini here.

A 1TB storage model will now be available for the iPhones 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, which is ideal for users who will use their devices for video capture in 4k.

Both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, will be available Sept. 24th, with the following pricing;
iPhone 13 Pro
128 GB: $999.00
256 GB: $1,099.00
512 GB: $1,299.00
1 TB: $1,499.00

iPhone 13 Pro Max
128 GB: $1,099.00
256 GB: $1,199.00
512 GB: $1,399.00
1 TB: $1,599.00

Here are the list of features and specs for iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max;

iPhone 13 Pro iPhone 13 Pro Max
Display 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display with Pro Motion 6.7″ Super Retina XDR display with Pro Motion
Resolution 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi 2778-by-1287-pixel resolution at 458 ppi
Refresh rate ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
Max brightness 1000 nits (typical) / 1200 nits (HDR)
Color profile True Tone display, Wide color display (P3)
Processor A15 Bionic chip, with new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores.
Cores New 5-core GPU and new 16-core Neural Engine
Rear Camera Dual 12MP camera system (Telephoto, Wide, and Ultra Wide)
Wide: ƒ/1.5 aperture
Ultra Wide: ƒ/1.8 aperture
Telephoto: ƒ/2.8 aperture
Night mode
Apple ProRAW
Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
3x optical zoom in, 2x optical zoom out; 6x optical zoom range
Digital zoom up to 15x
True Tone flash with Slow Sync
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
Front camera 12 MP TrueDepth camera
ƒ/2.2 aperture
Retina Flash
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Photographic Styles
up to 4K video recording @60 fps
Cinematic mode for recording videos with shallow depth of field (1080p at 30 fps)
Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps
Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, and 720p)
1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps
Night mode, Deep Fusion, QuickTake video
Animoji and Memoji
Connectivity GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (some models), Gigabit LTE
5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0. Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness,
Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
VoLTE, NFC with reader mode
Express Cards with power reserve
Wi-Fi calling
SIM Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM), Dual eSIM support
Security Face ID via TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
Sensors LiDAR scanner, Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Storage 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB. 1 TB
Dimension 5.78 inches X 2.82 inches X 0.30 inch 6.33 inches X 3.07 inches X 0.30 inch
Weight 7.19 ounces (204 grams) 8.46 ounces (240 grams)
Battery Built-in rechargeable lithium‑ion battery
MagSafe and Qi wireless charging with supprot for fast charging via 20W adapter or higher
Up to 22 hours video playback Up to 28 ours video playback
Up to 20 hours video playback (streamed) Up to 25 ours video playback (streamed)
Up to 75 hours Audio playback Up to 95 hours Audio playback
Splash, Water, and Dust Resistant Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) under IEC standard 60529
Interface Lightning connector
Colors Silver, Graphite, Gold, Sierra Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKfgdkcIUxw

Apple introduces iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini with new dual-camera system and A15 Bionic SoC

September 16, 2021

Apple just announced the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini with new dual camera system, Super Retina XDR display and powered by Apple’s newest chip, the A15 Bionic SoC.

The new iPhone 13 will still be using the same design language of the iPhone 12, which is a flat-edged but with narrower notch, which is 20% smaller than the previous model. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is rated IP68 for water resistance for up to maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes.

The improved Super Retina XDR OLED displays on both iPhones delivers an incredible contrast ratio for true blacks and a 28% increase in max outdoor brightness at 800 nits, with higher peak brightness for HDR photos and videos at 1200 nits, while being more power efficient.

Speaking of power, Apple said that the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will have a larger battery than the previous model and can offer an all-day battery life. The iPhone 13 offers up to 2.5 more hours in a day than iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 mini up to 1.5 hours more in a day than iPhone 12 mini.

The biggest improvement that Apple made with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini is in its processor, the A15 Bionic, the same processor that you see in the new iPad Mini.

Apple said that the new A15 Bionic, was designed using 5-nanometer technology that packs 15 billion transistors in the chip. It can peform 15.8 trillion operations per second. The A15 Bionic chip features new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores is 50% faster that the fastest competition. The new 4-core GPU offers up to 30% faster than the competition and enables more lifelike visuals and lighting effects in graphics-intensive games.

Just like with previous generation of iPhone, Apple made a lot of advancement with its dual-camera system both in hardware and computational photography. Its new 12MP Wide angle camera with 1.7 µm pixels, the biggest sensor in any iPhone camera, is capable of capturing 47% more light for less noise and brighter images. The custom-designed 12MP Ultra Wide camera with its new sensor captures images with more detail in the dark areas of photos and videos with less noise.

Apple also introduced the new Cinematic mode on iPhone, where its records videos of people, pets, and objects with a beautiful depth effect with automatic focus changes, which means you can always change focus object even while you are recording.

Here’s a short video that Apple released to demonstrate the Cinematic mode feature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tl1RL8MRCA

To offer the best connectivity, the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will support 5G and with the iOS 15, Smart Data mode will help you conserve battery life by automatically shifting iPhone to LTE when 5G speeds aren’t needed.

Apple also increase the entry-level storage from 64 GB to 128 GB, which is understandable, specially with its enchanced dual-camera system that can capture HDR photos and video with a resolution of up to 4K at 60 fps, which requires a lot of diskspace.

If you look at both device more closely, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are technically same device. Both are powered by Apple-designed A15 Bionic SoC, the same Dual 12MP camera system, supports 5G connection and supports fast charging. Both the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini will also be using the same screen, the Super Retina XDR display.

The only difference between the two is the size and the screen resolution, which appears to be relative to the size of the device.

You can now order the new iPhones and will be available by September 24th. You can find the pricing for the new iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini below;

iPhone 13

  • 128 GB: $799.00
  • 256 GB: $899.00
  • 512 GB: $1,099.00

iPhone 13 Mini

  • 128 GB: $699.00
  • 256 GB: $799.00
  • 512 GB: $999.00

Here are the list of features and specs for iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini;

iPhone 13 iPhone 13 Mini
Display 6.1″ Super Retina XDR display 5.4″ Super Retina XDR display
Resolution 2532-by-1170-pixel resolution at 460 ppi 2340-by-1080-pixel resolution at 476 ppi
Max brightness 800 nits (typical) / 1200 nits (HDR)
Color profile True Tone display, Wide color display (P3)
Processor A15 Bionic chip, with new 6-core CPU with 2 performance and 4 efficiency cores.
Cores New 4-core GPU and new 16-core Neural Engine
Rear Camera Dual 12MP camera system (Wide and Ultra Wide)
Wide: ƒ/1.6 aperture
Ultra Wide: ƒ/2.4 aperture
Night mode
Sensor-shift optical image stabilization
2x optical zoom out and up to 5x digital zoom
True Tone flash with Slow Sync
Portrait mode with advanced bokeh and Depth Control
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
Front camera 12 MP TrueDepth camera
ƒ/2.2 aperture
Retina Flash
Smart HDR 4 for photos
Photographic Styles
up to 4K video recording @60 fps
Cinematic video stabilization (up to 4K)
Slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps
Night mode, Deep Fusion, QuickTake video
Animoji and Memoji
Connectivity GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+, DC-HSDPA, CDMA EV-DO Rev. A (some models), Gigabit LTE, 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave)
WiFi 6 (802.11ax) with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0. Ultra Wideband chip for spatial awareness,
Built-in GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou
VoLTE, NFC with reader mode
Express Cards with power reserve
Wi-Fi calling
SIM Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM), Dual eSIM support
Security Face ID via TrueDepth camera for facial recognition
Sensors Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Barometer
Storage 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
Dimension 5.78 inches X 2.82 inches X 0.30 inch 5.18 inches X 2.53 inches X 0.30 inch
Weight 6.14 ounces (174 grams) 4.97 ounces (141 grams)
Battery Built-in rechargeable lithium‑ion battery
MagSafe and Qi wireless charging with supprot for fast charging via 20W adapter or higher
Up to 19 hours video playback Up to 17 hours video playback
Rated IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes) under IEC standard 60529
Interface Lightning connector
Colors Starlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Product RED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m43rh-pI0P0