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OPPO patents its own rotating camera phone

Is OPPO copying the ASUS ZenFone 6?

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Image source: LetsGoDigital

Yesterday, ASUS unveiled one of the more innovative solutions for bezel-less beauty. In the latest ZenFone 6, the brand is cashing in on a rotating Flip Camera. The unique solution uses a 180-degree hinge, transforming the dual rear camera into a front-facing workhorse.

Of course, innovation will always breed imitation. Filed only yesterday, OPPO is working on an almost-identical rotating camera themselves. Spotted by the Dutch LetsGoDigital, the Chinese smartphone maker filed the patent at the World Intellectual Property Office.

Notably, OPPO’s variant is more complex, using more hinges than ASUS’ original. The patent images depict a pop-up mechanism along with the rotating camera. Additionally, the patent also includes a single camera setup, besides the more advanced dual camera installation. OPPO is likely considering the form factor for both flagship and budget offerings.

Image source: LetsGoDigital

Regardless, OPPO filed the patent only yesterday. The patent’s coincidence with ASUS’ launch is stark. However, OPPO will take a lot more time to develop the phone. Even then, the company might not decide on development altogether.

Is this blatant imitation? The coincidence argues in the affirmative. However, OPPO’s history paints a more accurate picture. Back in the company’s infancy days, OPPO released the world’s first rotating camera phones. The OPPO N1 — and its successor, the N3 — featured a similar rotating hinge. Back then, smartphone manufacturers didn’t have bezel-less screens as a goal. The rotating camera was just a quirky feature, improving selfie capabilities. Technically, the OPPO N1 is the brand’s first “selfie expert.”

That said, ASUS’ newer flagship is still a tremendous innovation on the old form factor. Regardless of who copied whom, the rotating camera creatively takes on the ever-present problem of bezels and notches.

SEE ALSO: OPPO releases a new F11 model that’s cheaper and exclusive online

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Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million

Samsung allegedly used her image without her consent.

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Samsung has an unlikely rival. Dua Lipa is suing the South Korean company for using her image without her permission.

In the marketing world, brand endorsers are part and parcel of how products are pushed to the market. Famous celebrities are often asked to advertise a product for their potential star power. That said, a company needs the endorser’s consent first.

According to a new suit (via Variety), pop star Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for using her image to endorse TVs without her consent. The South Korean brand is reportedly using Lipa’s photo on the packaging of its TVs. Lipa alleges that the photo’s usage implies that she endorses the TV, which she does not.

The complaint also alleges that Lipa asked Samsung to take down the image last year. However, Samsung’s reply was, to her, “dismissive and callous.” The brand has then continued to use the image in its packaging.

To prove her point, the suit includes anecdotes of Samsung customers who bought the TV specifically because the packaging has Lipa’s image on it. To pay for damages, Lipa is asking for US$ 15 million from the global brand for copyright infringement.

SEE ALSO: These Samsung TVs and sound devices are perfect for summer

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The Switch 2 is getting more expensive this year

The price increases will start this month.

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Gone are the days when consoles get cheaper as time goes by. These days, especially because of the RAM crisis, gaming consoles are getting more expensive. Joining this worrying trend, the Nintendo Switch 2 is getting a price hike.

Even upon launch, the Switch 2 was already pricier than its original counterpart. Currently, without the incoming price hikes, the console retails for US$ 449.99. It’s a lot but not completely out of reach.

Last week, Nintendo announced a price hike that might push the console to less than attainable levels. Starting May 25, the Switch 2 will cost JPY 59,980 (up from JPY 49,980) in Japan. The original generation is also getting a hike: JPY 47,980 for the Switch OLED, JPY 43,980 for the base Switch, and JPY 29,980 for the Switch Lite.

Abroad, you can expect price hikes on September 1. The Switch 2 will jump to US$ 499.99, CAN 679.99, or EUR 499.99, depending on where you live. These are the only official hikes announced right now, but Nintendo has confirmed that price revisions will be implemented in other regions, too.

As you might expect, the price increases are due to the ongoing RAM crisis. Though the console is an undeniable hit, the Switch 2 can’t hide behind its popularity against the price shortage dealt by unnecessary data centers. At the very least, users worldwide have time to grab the console in its original pricing before the hikes.

SEE ALSO: Switch 2 now lets you play old games in 1080p

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Call of Duty drops the PlayStation 4 starting with its next game

Is this the beginning of the end for the PlayStation 4?

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When can we declare that a console is officially dead? Is it as soon as the launch of the next generation? Is it when games no longer come out on the console? Recently, Call of Duty has confirmed that the next game will not be available anymore on the PlayStation 4, which presents an important question: Is the PlayStation 4 officially dead?

Call of Duty is one of the most persistent gaming franchises today. The last entry, Black Ops 7, is still available for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Both consoles were launched over twelve years ago. (If that doesn’t make you old, the current generation was launched almost six years ago.)

As such, the franchise is one of the last stalwarts keeping the past generation alive. This week, Call of Duty, via a post on X, confirmed that the next game will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. Presumably, this also means the Xbox One.

Currently, we don’t have details about the upcoming game yet. But a new entry is confirmed to arrive later this year.

With the departure of the Call of Duty franchise, it’s fair to ask what will become of the old generation moving forward. Over the years, developers have started shying away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Since the franchise still maintains a steady fan base today, a lot of PlayStation 4 users might be forced to make an upgrade to play the latest entry.

SEE ALSO: PC Game Pass gets cheaper, but Call of Duty delays are coming

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