News

Samsung is working on a 600MP camera, but there’s a problem

The sky is the limit…

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The megapixel war never gets old. Humans can easily assimilate numbers, and a larger number usually signifies something better. In its quest as a component maker, Samsung is now working on a 600-megapixel camera sensor.

According to a photo posted on Twitter by IceUniverse, Samsung intends to achieve it with an ISOCELL sensor. It’ll have 0.8µm pixels, similar to what we’ve seen on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra.

There was a time when flagships would come with a 13-megapixel camera followed by multiple camera lenses on a single phone. We’ve now moved onto triple-digit sensors from double-digit pixels, with the 108-megapixel being the new norm. And even though 600-megapixels sounds outrageous, it does make sense when you focus on the tiny details.

 

Like a 48, 64, or 108-megapixel camera, the pictures aren’t clicked with equivalent resolutions, and a method called “pixel binning” is used. The idea is to compress adjacent pixels to form a single one essentially. It can retain critical information that enables better zoom, clearer details, and 8K recording with minimal loss.

The slide posted on Twitter confirms that with 4K and 8K video recording becoming more mainstream, Samsung wants to achieve 8K or 4K videos zoomed without considerable quality loss.

However, the only problem with a 600-megapixel sensor is its size. Samsung has noted that a 1/0.57-inch 0.8-micrometer sensor would occupy about 12 percent of the smartphone’s back. The sensor will also be thick, coming in at a whopping 13.2mm. And that’s just the sensor.

Considering the engineering challenges involved, it’s unlikely we’ll see this technology in action anytime soon.

Apps

Netflix suddenly resurrects 30-day free trials

It’s available only in some countries.

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Over the weekend, a report emerged about Disney+ allegedly considering a new tier offered to users for absolutely free. Apparently, Disney isn’t the only one. Netflix is now resurrecting its free trial program in select countries.

Back in the day, it was easy to get into Netflix. With a 30-day free trial, you can watch the shows you’ve always wanted to catch. If you liked what you saw, you can pay the monthly fee to access the entire library without constraints. Eventually, the platform got rid of this system to favor a cheaper ad-supported tier.

Perhaps not seeing the benefits of ad-supported tiers, Netflix has suddenly resurrected its free trial program. Spotted online (via Android Authority), some countries, including Brazil and India, are experimenting with the program again. New users can get 30 days of free Netflix access.

Because only regular users are spotting this (rather than an official announcement), we don’t have a list of where the free trials are available.

Still, it’s an interesting move. Cable isn’t a thing anymore so “cutting the cable” isn’t a popular phrase anymore, but people are definitely cancelling subscriptions over rising prices. Some even rely on short clips from YouTube to catch up with their shows. Having a free trial opens up more possibilities for users, but it remains to be seen whether it’s enough for users to return to Netflix.

SEE ALSO: Netflix expands its cheaper ad-supported tier to Southeast Asia

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Apps

Disney+ might get a free tier

What would you like to see in a free Disney+ tier?

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In a world disappointingly obsessed with increasing prices beyond our means, Disney+ has miraculously remembered the phrase, “free sample.” According to a report, the streaming platform is considering making a free subscription tier.

As of late, it’s been difficult to maintain a healthy collection of streaming services. When you have to pay the equivalent of a full-course meal every month for just a single platform, you start to evaluate which ones really matter.

Perhaps feeling the sting of users leaving the platform over pricing, Disney+ is reportedly experimenting with a tier that comes at no cost to users (via Business Insider). According to two sources, adding such a tier might help the platform reach customers more.

Now, it’s still a mystery how this tier might work. Disney+ already offers an ad-supported tier, so it’s unlikely to be another one like that.

One possibility is a heavily curated feed of content either designed specifically for free users or limited exactly to give users a free sample. For the latter, think of the limited content you get on a plane. Sure, you might get the first three episodes of The Mandalorian, but you’ll have to fork over cash if you want to see the rest of the story.

And for the former, you can imagine short-form content available for free. Going back to Star Wars, you might see a short anthology series like Star Wars: Visions.

Either way, it’s an interesting concept. If the tier does offer full content, it’s a great way to get into franchises you were thinking of trying without the need to spend for a taste.

SEE ALSO: X-Men ’97 returns to Disney+ for second season

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Gaming

Microsoft dictates that a new Fallout game is coming

Microsoft cancelled an Avowed sequel to focus on Fallout.

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Bethesda used to be a bastion for RPG experiences. Today, however, the company prefers living off its older properties such as Elder Scrolls Online and Fallout 76. For a while now, the question has been: When will Bethesda release a new game in either of their two biggest franchises? Well, according to a report, a new Fallout game might be coming soon.

As of late, Microsoft has been restructuring its studios. In fact, the company might shut down the studio behind the Dishonored series and the upcoming game based on Marvel’s Blade. Now, as part of that reshuffling (via Bloomberg), Obsidian Entertainment has been told to cancel a sequel to Avowed and focus on a new Fallout game.

It’s a huge change. Microsoft has notably stayed away from its more popular franchises for a while now. The latest Fallout game is still Fallout 76. The latest Elder Scrolls game has been in development for a long, long time now. Only DOOM, via last year’s The Dark Ages, got a new title recently.

To be clear, it’s unknown whether we’re getting the true Fallout 5 or another iteration of the online 76. If it’s really the fifth mainline entry in the franchise, it’s coming at a very opportune time. The franchise is currently on a high, riding the popularity of the TV series of the same name. Fans will surely enjoy a follow-up.

To fuel things further, Josh Sawyer, the director behind the universally lauded New Vegas, is reportedly spearheading the production of the new game.

SEE ALSO: Fallout on Prime Video: What inspired producers to create series

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