News
Nothing phone (1) confirms debut on July 12
Promises to be revolutionary
Nothing, the tech startup led by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei, is an enigma. While the company already has a pair of wireless earbuds out, Pei’s latest endeavor has been shrouded in mystery and promise. As of late, it keeps teasing an upcoming flagship phone, marking its first entry into the smartphone race. Well, the wait is finally coming to an end. Nothing is set to announce its first smartphone, the Nothing phone (1), on July 12.
Nothing has confirmed an in-person reveal for the phone (1) in London. The company isn’t selling it short, either. The event page invites fans to “unlearn everything the industry has taught you.” Pei is certainly promising a revolutionary phone.
Anyone familiar with Pei should expect nothing less of an extraordinary promise. When the entrepreneur helped build his previous company, he delivered the world’s first case for a true “flagship killer” in the OnePlus One.
Naturally, the jury is still out for the Nothing phone (1). Can Pei capture lightning in a bottle once again?
Thankfully, we know a tiny bit more about the upcoming smartphone. Most interestingly, the phone will reportedly have a true transparent rear to showcase the hardware underneath. It will also have its own custom launcher themed after its dotted font. (For anyone interested, Nothing is offering the launcher for free now.)
Apps
YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally
The update is rolling out globally now.
Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.
Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.
Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.
There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.
Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.
There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.
SEE ALSO: YouTube remains top PH video platform; advertisers urged to continue investing
Enterprise
OnePlus has reportedly merged with realme
Both brands were previously rumored for restructuring early this year.
OnePlus has a problem. For a while now, rumors have swirled about the company’s dissolution. For their part, the company has continued to deny the reports, citing business as usual. Likely to their dismay, the reports just keep coming. Today, sources have hinted that OnePlus has merged with realme.
Back in January, it was rumored that OnePlus would be closing up shop this year. Since the company very quickly denied the rumors, the report hardly made waves. However, a suspected merger with realme is more difficult to debunk.
For one, realme is itself in a very interesting position. Also back in January, realme was reportedly moving back into being a sub-brand of OPPO. Coupled together with the OnePlus debacle, all this internal restructuring seems par for the course.
According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, OnePlus and realme have already concluded the merger. The two brands have reportedly united their Chinese and international operations under one roof. Likewise, their marketing will be the same. Pete Lau will still be the main head for this new division.
As with anything of this nature, take this with a grain of salt. OPPO, OnePlus, and realme have not issued any official statements concerning a merger or a shutdown for any brand.
SEE ALSO: realme is reportedly going back to being an OPPO sub-brand
News
Next year’s iPhone might have a curved Liquid Glass screen
A lot of plans are in store for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.
Apple’s Liquid Glass design marked a return to the three-dimensional aesthetic of Windows Vista. Not content with letting the new design thrive solely on the software side, Apple is reportedly bringing “Liquid Glass” to the iPhone’s hardware.
Next year is important to the history of the iPhone as the ubiquitous phone will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Apple will definitely have major plans to herald the milestone.
According to rumors (via Ice Universe on X), the 20th anniversary iPhone will have a “curved display,” much like the aesthetics of Liquid Glass. However, the device will not be “anything like the curved screen solutions we have seen on Android phones over the years.”
Instead, the iPhone’s curve will be subtle and will rely on “optical refraction” to produce the illusion of a truly curved screen. The ultimate goal is to reduce the bezel as much as possible, creating an all-screen iPhone.
Naturally, such a form factor comes with questions. For example, where will Apple store the Dynamic Island and its hardware underneath? How will cases work if there are no bezels?
It’s still very early in the news cycle of next year’s iPhone. In fact, reports about the iPhone 18 series are just getting started. As with all rumors this early on, take it with a grain of salt. However, if anything, incorporating “Liquid Glass” into the iPhone’s hardware feels poetic.
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