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ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom with dual-camera setup is coming

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ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom

ASUS is adding yet another variant to its seemingly limitless ZenFone 3 lineup, and it’s of the Zoom variety.

Leaks discovered on Chinese certification agency TENAA show what appears to be the successor to the optical-zoom equipped ZenFone Zoom from last year. But rather than having a single zooming camera, there are two lenses placed side by side on the rear.

We can assume that the two units act similarly to what Apple and LG implemented on their flagship handsets, the iPhone 7 Plus and V20, in which one handles wide-angle shots while the other covers the longer range.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom leaks

Going by the label ASUS_Z01HDA, the expected final model name will go by ZenFone 3 Zoom, and it may come with some interesting specifications.

For one, the TENAA listing claims there’ll be a more vibrant 5.5-inch Full HD AMOLED display on board — ASUS ZenFone models normally rely on blander LCD panels for their visuals.

As for the processor, it’s supposed to be an octa-core chipset clocked similarly to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, which can also be found in the midrange ZenFone 3 released earlier this year. Memory and internal storage will vary depending on the exact variant.

More importantly, the camera will have 16 megapixels at the back, along with a dual-LED flash and laser autofocus. A simpler 13-megapixel shooter will be found in front.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom leaks

And since there’s no more clunky zooming unit like that of the ZenFone Zoom, the newer ZenFone 3 Zoom will have a thickness of only 7.99mm — not bad when you consider the 4850mAh battery that’ll possibly be included.

It’ll likely be announced at CES 2017, which will be held from January 5 to 8, 2017.

We have no idea how much it’ll cost and when the rollout will be, but if the previous ZenFone Zoom is any indicator, the ZenFone 3 Zoom will be one of the more expensive ZenFone 3 models and might become available long after the reveal.

[irp posts=”883″ name=”Asus Zenfone Zoom Unboxing”]

Source: Android Pure

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Qualcomm is raising its prices this year

Will the price of smartphones follow suit?

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The price of technology isn’t fun these days. Because of the ongoing RAM shortage wrought by AI, companies across the industry are raising the prices of their products. Some, however, are still willing to shoulder the burden for their customers. Unfortunately, Qualcomm is soon leaving that list.

As reported by Bloomberg, Qualcomm will raise the prices of its products starting in September. Though the exact figure is unknown, the company did confirm that it’s in the double digits, percentage-wise. According to them, they can no longer shoulder the costs for its customers.

If you’re just a regular user, Qualcomm’s prices might not mean much for you. After all, the chipmaker doesn’t make phones of its own.

That said, Qualcomm is still one of the biggest suppliers for smartphone chipsets, including those that Samsung uses. Pushing the burden from chipsets to phone manufacturers reduces one more buffer against costs being ultimately pushed to consumers.

All things considered, Samsung managed to keep its prices hikes relatively low with the latest batch of foldables. However, with chips getting more price increases, it’s still within the realm of possibility that Samsung will also increase the price of its smartphones. The same can be said for any Qualcomm-powered smartphone available today.

SEE ALSO: Hands-on: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, Flip8, Ultra

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Apple is reportedly delaying its smart glasses due to privacy concerns

The brand wants to squash malicious recording.

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Smart glasses are in a weird place right now. While early adopters are celebrating the ability to record everything, a growing group of critics are decrying the loss of privacy. Formerly at full throttle, Apple, in response to these controversies, will reportedly delay its version of smart glasses to next year.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is heading back to the drawing board to further emphasize the unreleased wearable’s privacy protections, which includes “hardware and software-related privacy features not available on current products.” The report, however, doesn’t enumerate what these features are.

If anything, these features will likely prevent malicious recording. Most smart glasses today have a light that tells passersby that the device is actively recording video. However, users have discovered ways to tamper and disable this light, so their devices can start recording without alerting others. Apple will likely introduce better measure to prevent such tampering.

Additionally, it’s also possible that Apple introduces a version of the smart glasses without a camera attached.

Because of these new initiatives, the brand will delay the launch of the wearable to sometime next year. Previously, there was heavy speculation that the smart glasses will launch later this year.

On the bright side, there’s still substantial reason to believe that Apple is launching its first ever foldable device later this year.

SEE ALSO: New York becomes first state to ban smart glasses

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God of War Laufey finally confirms its highly anticipated launch date

Set your calendars next year.

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It’s about time we get excited for God of War Laufey. The upcoming entry into the acclaimed franchise takes off on a tangent as it follows Faye, Kratos’s late wife, as she traverses an afterlife filled with similarly deceased gods. It’s a different perspective but with still the same action we’ve come to expect from the series. Now, we know when to expect it: February 16.

In the ongoing Norse saga, Faye’s death is everything. Her passing pushes Kratos and Atreus towards a path that eventually led to Ragnarok. In Laufey, a deceased Faye wakes up in Everywhen, an afterlife where gods from different mythologies converge. She then discovers that the carefully laid plans she made to help her husband and her son are unravelling, so she has to find a way to save the living world from past the veil.

Laufey will still have the iconic battles that the God of War series is known for. However, because Faye is nimbler than the burly Kratos, fighting is more fast-paced with a mix of grounded and air-based fighting. All in all, there’s a lot to be excited about for Laufey, despite its different take on the series.

Over the weekend, during San Diego Comic Con, PlayStation confirmed when the title is launching. Thankfully, it’s not a long wait. God of War Laufey is launching for the PlayStation 5 on February 16 next year.

Additionally, Santa Monica Studio has also confirmed that Kratos will lead another entry after Laufey.

SEE ALSO: God of War Laufey puts Faye in the spotlight

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