The last quarter of the year always belongs to Qualcomm. The chipmaker historically hosts an event to unveil what’s coming next for the iconic Snapdragon line. This year is no different. However, it’s coming a bit earlier than expected. The company has officially confirmed that the annual Snapdragon Summit is happening between October 24 to 26.

As always, the Snapdragon Summit will happen in the sunny shores of Maui, Hawaii. However, the official invite confirms a date almost a month earlier than last year’s Summit. Last year, Qualcomm held the event right in the middle of November.

Qualcomm could still throw a curveball and refuse to release the next flagship processor at the event. However, the chances are remarkably low. The company historically launches its most premium offering during the annual event.

Last year, Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, an improvement over the first generation of the 8 Series. This time, the company is expected to launch Gen 3 of the iconic lineup.

Currently, not much is known about how the company plans to improve the lineup. However, an earlier launch date means that we will see products with the chipset as early as the holiday season of this year. We won’t have to wait until the next Galaxy smartphone for a remarkably decent flagship with the chipset.

SEE ALSO: Qualcomm launches the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Apple announced that the App Store ecosystem generated US$ 1.1 trillion in developer billings and sales for the year 2022, as per a study from economists at Analysis Group.

More than 90 percent of these billings and sales were accrued solely to developers, without any commission paid to Apple.

According to economists from Analysis Group, developers generated:

• US$ 910 million from the sale of physical goods and services
• US$ 109 billion from in-app advertising
• US$ 104 million from digital goods and services

The Analysis Group’s study also mentioned that among the key drivers behind the App Store ecosystem’s growth are a rebounding demand for sectors like travel and ride-hailing, as well as advertising spend in social media and retail apps.

Moreover, developer billings and sales increased by 29% between 2021 and 2022, and 27% percent between both 2020 and 2021 and 2020 and 2019.

In particular, small developers found great success in the App Store, growing their revenue by 71% between 2020 and 2022.

The Apple Store’s engine of commerce includes Apple providing developers around the world a global distribution platform which supports:

• 195 local payment methods
• 44 currencies
• 175 storefronts

Strong growth across app categories

According to a new study from the Analysis Group’s economists titled “The Continued Growth and Resilience of Apple’s App Store Ecosystem,” sales from travel and ride-hailing made on iOS apps increased by 84% and 45%, respectively.

iOS app-based food delivery and pickup sales more than doubled too, while groceries more than tripled.

App Store turns 15

The encouraging numbers from the study coincide with the App Store’s 15th anniversary.

Overall, here are some interesting facts about the App Store’s 15-year existence:

• iOS developers have earned more than US$ 320 billion on the App Store (from 2008 to 2022)
• iOS users have downloaded app more than 370 billion times (from 2008 to 2022)
• The App Store has nearly 1.8 million apps to choose from, more than 123 times as many available during 2008

The App Store also remains a safe and trusted marketplace, thanks to its rigorous App Review process and privacy and security protections.

In 2022 alone, the App Store blocked more than US$ 2 billion in fraudulent transactions and rejected 1.7 million app submissions for failing to meet privacy, security, and quality standards. 

Recent innovations like App Tracking Transparency and Privacy Nutrition Labels also empower users on how to operate

motorola refuses to lose its foothold in the flip phones department. Doubling down on their fashion-meets-function blend, the company announces the 2023 motorola razr family, consisting of the razr+ and the razr.

In other markets the razr+ will be called razr 40 ultra, while the razr will be called razr 40. For brevity, we’ll stick to razr+ and razr. The two are flip phones with differences that are immediately noticeable, and others that are under the hood.

motorola razr+

Many raved about the external display of the OPPO Find N2 Flip because it is much larger than the one on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4. motorola appears to have been monitoring the conversations as it equipping the razr+ with a 3.6” pOLED external display. And it’s not just big. You can do more with it.

Panels

Custom panels allow users to prioritize what matters most. Swipe left or right to easily access games, Google News, weather, contacts, Spotify, and view notifications at a glance. There’s also an Apps panel gives you access to apps like Google Maps or Google Wallet.

Customization

Users can choose from a variety of live wallpaper designs and a range of Moto clock styles. Customize and arrange the panels on their Home screen, dragging and dropping so they’re arranged to fit the needs of every razr user.

Game

There are Motorola and GameSnacks that work perfectly on the external display. Play through mysterious lands in Golf Adventures, help a feline friend escape to freedom in Tiger Run, or find your way to the finish in Marble Mayhem.

Dedicated Spotify Panel

Spotify users can control playback from the device’s external display. Without unfolding the device, users can tap to continue listening where they left off or start playing something brand new.

Content buddy

Many have opted to go the Flip phone route because of it’s natural ability to be your solo-content-creator-tool. The motorola razr+ takes things up a notch with its 12MP, f/1.5 aperture main camera sensor using Instant Dual Pixel PDAF. It’s faster and more accurately captures the scene in any lighting condition.

There’s also a 13MP ultrawide + macrovision lens to give you versatility in the things you can capture. Lastly, there’s a 32MP camera for selfies and video calls.

Flagship-grade specs

The motorola razr+ is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. Not quite the latest Snapdragon chip, but it is absolutely no slouch in performance and power efficiency. It’s accompanied by 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

When fully opened, you’re greeted by the 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED display with up to 165Hz refresh rate. It also supports HDR10+ and has up to 360Hz touch sampling rate when in game mode.

motorola razr

The base motorola razr doesn’t share the same massive external display. But it is still every bit the Flip phone that its ‘plus’ sibling is.

The 1.5-inch OLED external display is capable of Quick Capture, Gesture Capture, Auto Smile Capture, and more features for self-capturing. Unfolded, it’s also a 6.9-inch smartphone powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor. It also has 8GB of RAM with 128GB of internal storage.

Price and availability

In the US, the motorola razr+ 2023 will be available for pre-order on motorola.com and through select carriers and retailers on June 16.

The device will be available for sale at AT&T, T-Mobile, Spectrum Mobile, Google Fi Wireless and Optimum Mobile, as well as universally unlocked at Best Buy, Amazon.com and Motorola.com starting June 23 with a suggested retail price of US $999.99.

Canada, the new motorola razr+ 2023 will be available for pre-order through motorola.ca on June 16 (MSRP: $1,299.99). Starting June 23, the device will be available for sale at Motorola.ca and through select carriers and national retailers.

The motorola razr 40 ultra will be on sale in Europe with a starting MSRP of EUR 1,199.99 as of June 1. The device will roll out to selected markets across Latin America and Asia in the following weeks.

In North America, the new motorola razr will be available in the coming months.

The motorola razr 40 will roll out to selected markets across Europe, Latin America and Asia. Specific pricing and availability information to follow.