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Huawei Nova 2i receives face unlocking feature in latest update

It’s already available!

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When you go for a near-borderless smartphone, you either settle for a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor or have face recognition to unlock your device. Some handsets have both, and the latest entry to that list got in through a software update.

Huawei’s Nova 2i now has face unlocking thanks to a software update that’s already rolling out. All you have to do is enter the phone’s settings and download the latest update to install the new security feature.

Huawei brags that this isn’t some simple unlocking method and claims it has multiple levels of authentication. One, the user’s face information gets stored in the built-in Kirin chipset and not on the cloud; two, the camera captures 1,000 points of your face to ensure higher accuracy; and three, the Nova 2i can’t be unlocked while the user’s eyes are closed, preventing people from entering the phone while you’re asleep.

The Nova 2i also allows you to choose between directly unlocking the device from a successful face scan or entering the notification screen first. This is useful if you simply want to unhide notifications from the lockscreen using your face.

Other than that, this is still the same phone we reviewed last October. The competition in this midrange segment has been getting fiercer since then, but the Nova 2i proves that if there’s a will, there’s a software update.

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Apple is reportedly considering a clamshell iPhone

They will likely wait if the first foldable will be popular.

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Apple’s current foldable strategy is just one guy going “wouldn’t it be nice if we had a foldable phone” and everyone else nodding along. For years, Apple has constantly teased the development of its own entry into the market but failing to produce anything other than rumors. Now, while we’re still missing the mythical foldable, the company is reportedly considering a second foldable already: a clamshell iPhone.

Currently, all the previous rumors pointed to a traditional book-style foldable phone from Apple. The forecast says that the device might finally launch this year, but they do say that every year. In the meantime, according to Bloomberg, a clamshell version is already “under consideration.”

It hardly needs reminding that “under consideration” doesn’t mean anything other than “it might happen.” In contrast, the traditional foldable is probably in a “we’re just making sure everything is perfect” phase.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is likely evaluating whether there is enough demand for the first foldable. If, as the company predicts, it takes off, the company will want to capitalize on the hype immediately.

There’s a lot of expectations riding on Apple’s mythical foldable. Sometimes, it even feels like the unreleased phone has reached a point where it can’t possibly meet everyone’s standards. But, at the very least, we hope it does launch this year.

SEE ALSO: An analyst has revealed the iPhone Fold’s price, and it’s insane

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Samsung is teasing smart glasses again

The brand is experimenting with more form factors.

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What comes next after the smartphone? For years, brands hunted for an answer. Apple, for example, placed its bet on the Vision Pro, a wager that hasn’t paid off yet. Samsung, on the other hand, is betting on a different horse: augmented reality.

In a new earnings call (via Seeking Alpha), Samsung’s Seong H. Cho, the brand’s head for mobile marketing, confirmed that they will experiment more with “diverse form factors such as next-generation AR glasses.”

Samsung has been teasing a pair of glasses for a while now. However, with an impressive lineup already in the works (including the brand’s first trifold smartphone), it’s understandable that hype for the teased glasses took a bit of a backseat.

But, with an official word now about the wearable, the game is once again on to create an impressive pair of smart glasses.

The only question here is the “next-generation” part. Since Samsung doesn’t really have a pair out in the market right now, it’s a bit difficult to determine what the next generation might mean.

Of course, it could simply be a marketing term that implies smart glasses are the next generation of technology. If it pertains to what’s already out in the market, it could mean a pair that comes with a camera or even a display. Of note, most smart glasses today (or, at least, those accessible to most users) use only audio for its smart functionalities.

SEE ALSO: Samsung teases anti-shoulder surfing privacy feature

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Nothing will not release a Phone (4) this year

But the Phone (4a) is still scheduled.

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Nothing Phone 3

Last year, Nothing offered a worthy alternative to the usual flagship brands. Though the Phone (3) edged closer and closer to flagship-level prices, the smartphone is still a decent performer through and through. This year, however, a Phone (4) is not in the works.

Through a new YouTube video, Nothing’s Carl Pei has confirmed that the brand will not release a Phone (4) this year. The Phone (3) will still be the brand’s flagship option throughout 2026.

Pei did not reveal any explicit reason why they couldn’t make a new flagship this year. However, he does say that he wants every upgrade to be meaningful.

Despite the lack of a flagship, Nothing’s work will continue through the (a) series. The brand will release the new Phone (4a), for which Pei is promising a revolution. He says that there will be significant upgrades which will push the series closer to a flagship-like experience. It will also have new designs.

Unfortunately, the new phone might not come cheap. Along with the phone’s announcement, Pei confirmed that prices might increase this year, as a response to spiking RAM prices. It’s unclear how much it’s changing, though.

At the very least, the (a) series is usually priced competitively. However, if the increases affect the entire lineup, the flagship’s prices might go up to even more concerning levels.

SEE ALSO: Nothing will no longer lock screen ads on the Phone (3a) series

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