Friday is here, and what better way to welcome the weekend than by kicking back in your favourite chair and scrolling away on your phone – for you techies out there that missed this week’s action, you might be interested in checking out some of the biggest headlines these past few days. This includes announcements from Samsung, Google, and even some tasty tidbits about some not-so-top-secret Apple stuff. Let’s get started!
The iPhone SE 4: Big Upgrades
It still isn’t official, but the leaks surrounding the iPhone SE 4 have been non-stop lately. It’s predicted that Apple’s wallet-friendly smartphone will come with major upgrades such as a larger OLED display, the new A18 chipset (same on the iPhone 16), 8GB of RAM, the new action button, as well as a 48MP camera. It’s also predicted that Apple will include some AI features (if the RAM and chip combo are true), and it’s likely that the company will launch it in March 2025.
The Pixel 9a Might Launch in March
The iPhone SE 4 isn’t the only big product smartphone launch in March next year – it’s also predicted that the Google Pixel 9a will also make its debut around the same time. Several design renders showing the Pixel 9a have also leaked, revealing a slightly-different design that ditches the camera bar for a more minimalist design on its rear panel. It’s expected that the phone will feature the Google Tensor G4 sensor, and will come in four different colours including black, white, peony, and iris.
Samsung Unveils the Galaxy Chromebook Plus
Samsung recently announced the new Galaxy Chromebook Plus, a Chrome OS laptop that comes with a large display, as well as a sleek design. It’s pretty light at 2.58 pounds, and is pretty thin measuring at just 11.8mm. There’s also a large 15.6-inch OLED screen which should make for a pleasant viewing experience for movies, games, and more. Powering the laptop is Intel’s Core 3 100U Raptor Lake-R processor, alongside 256GB of storage and up to 13 hours of battery life on a single charge. It’s considerably cheaper than a lot of Windows laptops out there, coming in at just £649 GBP.
Meet Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet 11
If you want something even more affordable, there’s Lenovo’s new Chromebook Duet 11. Starting at just £349, it packs a 10.95-inch WUXGA display with a brightness of 400 nits, a MediaTek Kompanio 838 processor, support for USI 2.0 styluses, and up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, allowing the Duet 11 to accommodate your files and apps. It can also last up to 12 hours on a single charge, and includes a convenient case with a keyboard and kickstand, enabling comfortable use in both portrait and landscape orientations.
Google Gemini Rolls out in More Languages
Finally, Google stated that Gemini Live will now be available for more than 40 languages – starting today, Google’s conversational AI software will feature support for French, German, Portuguese, Hindi, and Spanish, with 40 more languages in the pipeline. Google will also expand Extensions in Gemini for several apps such as Google Calendar, Tasks, Keep, and Utilities, which will also support different languages.
