Group of Seven advanced nations should adopt "risk-based" regulation on artificial intelligence, their digital ministers agreed on Sunday, as European lawmakers hurry to introduce an AI Act to enforce rules on emerging tools such as ChatGPT.
But such regulation should also "preserve an open and enabling environment" for the development of AI technologies and be based on democratic values, G7 ministers said in a joint statement issued at the end of a two-day meeting in Japan.
While the ministers recognised that "policy instruments to achieve the common vision and goal of trustworthy AI may vary across G7 members", the agreement sets a landmark for how major countries govern AI amid privacy concerns and security risks.
"The conclusions of this G7 meeting show that we are definitely not alone in this," European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager told Reuters ahead of the agreement.
Governments have especially paid attention to the popularity of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI that has become the fastest-growing app in history since its November launch.
"We plan to convene future G7 discussions on generative AI which could include topics such as governance, how to safeguard intellectual property rights including copyright, promote transparency, address disinformation" including information manipulation by foreign forces, the ministerial statement said.
Italy, a G7 member, took ChatGPT offline last month to investigate its potential breach of personal data rules. While Italy lifted the ban on Friday, the move has inspired fellow European privacy regulators to launch probes.
EU lawmakers on Thursday reached a preliminary agreement on a new draft of its upcoming AI Act, including copyright protection measures for generative AI, following a call for world leaders to convene a summit to control such technology.
Vestager, EU's tech regulation chief, said the bloc "will have the political agreement this year" on the AI legislation, such as labeling obligations for AI-generated images or music, to address copyright and educational risks.
Japan, this year's chair of G7, meanwhile, has taken an accommodative approach to AI developers, pledging support for public and industrial adoption of AI.
Japan hoped to get the G7 "to agree on agile or flexible governance, rather than preemptive, catch-all regulation" over AI technology, industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Friday ahead of the ministerial talks.
"Pausing (AI development) is not the right response - innovation should keep developing but within certain guardrails that democracies have to set," Jean-Noel Barrot, French Minister for Digital Transition, told Reuters, adding France will provide some exceptions to small AI developers under the upcoming EU regulation.
Besides intellectual property concerns, G7 countries recognised security risks. "Generative AI...produces fake news and disruptive solutions to the society if the data it's based on is fake," Japanese digital minister Taro Kono told a press conference after the agreement.
The top tech officials from G7 - Britain, Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States - met in Takasaki, a city about 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Tokyo, following energy and foreign ministers' meetings this month.
Japan will host the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in late May, where Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will discuss AI rules with world leaders.
The Vivo X90 Pro has finally made its debut in India, but is the company's flagship smartphone for 2023 equipped with enough upgrades over its predecessor? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
What are the biggest movies releasing in May 2023? Fast X — the first of a two-part finale — marks the movie event of a generation, promising a revenge arc bolstered by fiery explosions, as the Toretto Family comes in the way of danger once more. The hype surrounding this film is insane, with advance ticket bookings going live three months prior to release in India — a big feat for Hollywood films in the country. Fast X races into theatres on May 19. Long before that, on May 5, a band of space outlaws embark on a dangerous interstellar adventure when Rocket Raccoon's turbulent past invites trouble. Marking James Gunn's final gig at Marvel before he went on to co-lead DC Studios, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is also the longest film in the trilogy.
Coming to local fare, we've got IB 71, a patriotic spy-thriller based on the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war, with Vidyut Jammwal (Commando 3) leading the Indian Intelligence Bureau on a secret mission to thwart the enemy. Sankalp Reddy (The Ghazi Attack) directs the film, which is slated to release May 12 in cinemas. On a more light-hearted note, Netflix is finally releasing Kathal, a crime-comedy based on bizarre and somewhat true events from 2014 where the Delhi police formed a unit to track down a politician's stolen jackfruits. Starring Sanya Malhotra (Pagglait) as the earnest cop leading the investigation, Kathal drops May 19 on the platform.
Other notable releases this month include A24's much-anticipated existential horror film Beau is Afraid, tracking the paranoid experiences of an anxiety-ridden man, as he embarks on a trip to his mother's place. For your convenience, we have curated the biggest May 2023 releases coming to theatres, Disney+ Hotstar, and Netflix, which you can check out below. Also, feel free to browse our Entertainment hub to keep track of any other releases that might interest you.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
When: May 5
Where: Theatres
Still reeling from Gamora's (Zoe Saldaña) death in Avengers: Endgame, Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and the remaining Guardians now reside in Knowhere. There's a lot of drama between the crew themselves — specifically between Peter Quill and the alternate version of Gamora, with the former trying to woo her into falling in love with him again. Being the 2014 version, she has zero knowledge of these characters, promising some hilarious banter with Nebula (Karen Gillan) involved. Back to the premise at hand, Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) seems to be the focus this time, with tear-jerking flashbacks to his past when he was locked in a cage and subjected to harsh experiments.
In his escape from the facility, he also lost some furry friends, including Wal Rus and Lylla, albeit now those memories have come back to haunt him. As Rocket's life is put in harm's way, Quill assembles his crew for one last mission into the stars, as they leap across fleshy spirals and encounter the immortal, gold-tinted anti-hero Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). Chukwudi Iwuji's (Peacemaker) The High Evolutionary appears to be the troublemaker in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, a scientist who seeks to create the ‘perfect species'.
Running at 2 hours and 29 minutes, this marks the longest film in the GoTG trilogy, and possibly the final Marvel Cinematic Universe project from James Gunn, who now co-leads DC Studios. Even Saldaña confirmed in a recent interview that she won't be reprising Gamora's role again. When compared to other new Marvel movies, this looks super promising in terms of creativity — Gunn loves splashing colours!
Will Poulter as Adam Warlock in a still from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Photo Credit: Marvel Studios
The Mother
When: May 12
Where: Netflix
Jennifer Lopez stars as a deadly female assassin in The Mother, who was forced by the FBI to separate from her daughter at birth, as a means to protect the child. Two dangerous men from a past encounter, Adrien Lovell (Joseph Fiennes) and Hector Álvarez (Gael García Bernal), are still on the loose, looking for revenge against Lopez's unnamed character. Fast forward to 12 years and the daughter gets kidnapped, forcing the mother out of hiding, as she guns down, stabs, and headbutts her way through anyone involved in the abduction.
It is suggested that Lopez still remains anxious about revealing her identity to daughter Zoe (Lucy Paez), instead training her to survive in the snowy wilderness, by way of an assassin. It's better to be on the safe side because her enemies have taken note of her resurgence and returned with a better plan to take her down. Niki Caro, best known for helming the live-action Mulan film, directs The Mother from a story penned by Misha Green (Sons of Anarchy). The film also stars Omari Hardwick (Power) and Paul Raci (Perry Mason).
IB 71
When: May 12
Where: Theatres
Vidyut Jammwal heads this spy-thriller as an Intelligence Officer, seeking to thwart Pakistan's attack on India within the next 10 days. Based on the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, agent Dev conjures a master plan to block the air space, as India anticipates a two-way attack from both Pakistan and China. Details are scarce, but Dev insists that he and his crew of 30 field agents can either convince or manipulate the enemy nation to create the block. What follows next is a coup operation into the heart of Pakistan, involving a decommissioned aircraft, a hijacker, and lots of waiting inside a cramped-up hotel room as the team waits on updates.
Sankalp Reddy (The Ghazi Attack) serves as the director on IB 71, which stars an ensemble cast featuring Anupam Kher (Hotel Mumbai) as a high-ranking official Avasti, Niharica Raizada (Sooryavanshi), Mir Sarwar (Bajrangi Bhaijaan), and Vishal Jethwa (Salaam Venky). It also marks lead Jammwal's first film as a producer under his own production banner, Action Hero Films.
Crater
When: May 12
Where: Disney+ Hotstar
In the year 2257, a large mining colony resides on a translucent dome on the moon. Our story, however, focuses on a small group — specifically young Caleb (Isaiah Russell-Bailey) and his friends, who venture out into the dusty void as part of his father's (Scott Mesudi) last request, which is to explore a legendary crater past the eastern ridge. Accompanied by a new earthling Addison (Mckenna Grace), the team of five steal a rover and enjoy one last road trip, before they're permanently relocated to another planet.
During their final moments, they partake in some low-gravity baseball, uncontrollably jetpack into the air, evade deadly meteor showers, and form a tight bond that could merely last only days. The trailer also reveals the newcomer feeling homesick, which begs the question as to what happened on planet Earth that caused a portion of the human race to relocate. Crater is directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, who rose to prominence by helming a few episodes from Netflix's 13 Reasons Why. Like most Walt Disney original productions for kids, this one heads directly to streaming as well.
Beau is Afraid
When: May 12
Where: Theatres
Beau Wassermann (Joaquin Phoenix) is an old, paranoid man who needs to get to his mother's house for his father's death anniversary, and also desperately needs to ejaculate. You see, his mother Mona (Patti LuPone) once told Beau that his father died during an orgasm, during which he was conceived, essentially passing down the trait. That scary knowledge, combined with other harsh life experiences, turned him into a shut-in and socially awkward man, who is extremely anxious and panics at the tamest of inconveniences.
Arthouse filmmaker Ari Aster, known for offbeat horror films such as Hereditary and Midsommar, turned this simple premise into a three-hour-long odyssey, filled with his darkest fears, guilt, and puzzling plot devices, whose purpose comes to light towards the end. In a sense, it's like a Charlie Kaufman film, where a person's deepest insecurities play out before them — sometimes as a literal stage play — allowing them to reciprocate and act out their entire lives before a physical and metaphorical audience. The Beau is Afraid trailer suggests a similar theme here as well, in which he plays life's protagonist — or rather, one that he wishes he could've been were it not for his mother's meddling.
When A24 originally announced the film, it was titled ‘Disappointment Blvd.', with a reportedly massive runtime of hour hours. Hopefully, we get that extra hour when the director's cut drops on the A24 store.
Music School
When: May 12
Where: Theatres
With the liberal amount of dance pieces in Bollywood movies, it's sometimes hard to distinguish it from a musical genre. Paparao Biyyala's Music School, however, embodies the essence of the medium, shedding light on the Indian education system and how parents put pressure on their kids to excel solely in studies, leaving no room for arts or culture. In it, Shriya Saran (Dhrishyam) stars as Mary, a new music teacher intent on turning her school's views on the subject, while every staff member and overburdened student treats her like an afterthought.
Joining her on the crusade is Manoj (Sharman Joshi), a drama teacher, who wants to work with her to put up a musical piece based on ‘The Sound of Music'. But the path ahead is not easy, as they come face-to-face with concerned parents' and teachers' wrath, who dismiss such acts as ‘stupid'. Prakash Raj (Ponniyin Selvan: Part I), Suhasini Mulay (Jodhaa Akbar), and singer Shaan round out the cast for Music School, which features 12 tracks composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film will be out in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil.
Love Again
When: May 12
Where: Theatres
Mira Ray (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) copes with her fiancé's death from two years ago by sending romantic messages to his old phone number, in this English-language remake of the 2016 German film SMS für Dich. Elsewhere in the city, Rob Burns (Sam Heughan), a journalist doing a profile on singer Celine Dion receives a work phone with the deceased's SIM reassigned to him. What begins as a confusing set of texts from a stranger, soon grows into one-sided love, with Burns wanting to connect with the woman, being smitten by her honest choice of words.
On the other hand, Mira can only think about her late fiancé, and finds herself physically unable to date someone else — there's even a super awkward kiss with her real-life husband Nick Jonas. Having harboured feelings for someone he's never met in person, Burns seeks help from Dion herself, hoping to find Mira and win her over. Love Again also stars Russell Tovey, Steve Oram (Paddington), Omid Djalili (His Dark Materials), and Sofia Barclay, with James C. Strouse (The Winning Season) directing.
Fast X
When: May 19
Where: Theatres
The globe-trotting action franchise that previously took us to outer space is back for its final lap, topping out the set pieces with tons of explosions, ranging from a loose bomb rolling through the streets of the Vatican to armoured vehicles with cannons attached to them. Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) has a new formidable foe in town, who wants to break his family piece by piece. Dante (Jason Momoa) has been planning his revenge for the past 12 years, having witnessed his druglord father Hernan Reyes' murder back in 2011's Fast Five. Fast X is just the first of the two-part conclusion, and has the added responsibility of introducing Brie Larson into the franchise as Tess. It is hinted that she's on Dom's side.
Jason Statham also reprises his role as Deckard Shaw, helping Dom's crew to deal with the heinous Dante. It's always nice to have someone with military expertise in your rowdy, albeit stylish street-fighting team. Louis Leterrier returns to direct the Fast and Furious sequel, after having taken over the reins from Justin Lin last year, who exited the project due to creative differences. Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Jordana Brewster, and Charlize Theron also reprise their roles from previous films, while Rita Moreno is a new entrant, appearing as Torettos' grandmother. Fast X will be out in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
Jason Momoa as Dante Reyes in a still from Fast X Photo Credit: Universal Pictures
Kathal
When: May 19
Where: Netflix
In Kathal, Sanya Malhotra (Pagglait) plays Mahima Basor, a determined cop on a mission to find a politician's stolen jackfruits. While at first the case seems like a joke, the political influence pivots it to a state-wide hunt, with a reward of Rs. 10,000 if someone local happens to find them. Of course, the unit has a proper verification system set up, with the lower-rank officers spending their days weighing and measuring random jackfruits brought in by strangers, instead of working on actual crimes. This is even questioned by Basor at the start, where setting such a precedent would cause people to report stolen or missing tomatoes and potatoes.
Is that all there is to this bizarre case, or is there some larger fruit smuggling conspiracy involved? All this will be answered when Kathal premieres May 19 on Netflix. The film marks Yashowardhan Mishra's directorial debut and features a comedic cast line-up including Anant Joshi (Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein), Vijay Raaz (Gangubai Kathiawadi), Rajpal Yadav (Bhool Bhulaiyaa), and Neha Saraf.
Sanya Malhotra (centre) in a still from Kathal Photo Credit: Netflix
The Little Mermaid
When: May 25
Where: Theatres
Disney is back again with another 'live-action' adaptation of one of its classic animated movies — well technically it's public domain, but you get the point. The Rob Marshall-directed remake follows the same plot beats as the 1989 2D-animated film, centring around Ariel (Halle Bailey), a mermaid princess who is dissatisfied with her underwater life and wants to explore the human world. However, it is barred as forbidden territory by King Triton (Javier Bardem), her father and ruler of the kingdom Atlantica. On one stormy night when the currents are too strong, Ariel prevents a human prince Eric's (Jonah Hauer-King) death by saving him from drowning and falling in love with him, which angers the king.
The heated exchange between the father and daughter serves as a catalyst for the conniving sea witch Ursula's (Melissa McCarthy) plan to usurp King Triton's position. A naive Ariel trades her melodious singing voice in exchange for a pair of limbs, so she can discover the world above and hopefully impress Eric, unbeknownst to the dangers underneath the waves. While a lot of the visuals in The Little Mermaid remake certainly look gorgeous, in my opinion, the fishes and sea creatures themselves look lifeless. A similar issue was present in Jon Favreau's The Lion King remake, where he was so hell-bent on achieving realism, that he stripped away emotions from the animals' faces.
The Little Mermaid also stars the voices of Jacob Tremblay (Doctor Sleep) as the tropical fish Flounder, Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as the loyal crab Sebastian, and Awkwafina (Renfield) as the dimwitted seabird Scuttle.
The Chromecast with Google TV that runs on Android TV is here. When will Google learn how to name products? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
A US judge in California on Monday declared a mistrial in Masimo's smartwatch trade secret lawsuit against Apple after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the potential billion-dollar case.
A Masimo spokesperson said in a statement that the company was "disappointed that the jury was unable to reach a verdict" but intends to retry the case.
The jury in federal court in Santa Ana had been asked to determine whether Cupertino, California-based Apple misused confidential information from Masimo related to the use of light to measure biomarkers including heart rates and blood oxygen levels.
The jury began deliberating on April 26 after a trial lasting about three weeks before US District Judge James Selna.
Apple said in a statement that it "deeply respects intellectual property and innovation and does not take or use confidential information from other companies," and will ask the court to dismiss the remaining claims in the case.
Irvine, California-based Masimo and its spinoff Cercacor Laboratories Inc sued Apple in 2020, accusing it of stealing trade secrets and using them to create and sell several Apple Watch models.
The lawsuit claimed Masimo representatives met with Apple in 2013 about integrating its inventions into Apple products and that Apple subsequently hired away two executives - one from Masimo and one from Cercacor - and used their knowledge to copy the technology.
Masimo asked for more than $1.8 billion (roughly Rs. 147.17 crore) in damages, reduced from its initial request for $3.1 billion (roughly Rs. 253.45 crore) after the judge dismissed some of its trade-secret claims during trial.
Apple in a court filing called Masimo's lawsuit a "maneuver to clear a path" for its own smartwatch. Apple sued Masimo in Delaware last year, accusing it of patent infringement.
Smartwatches, mobile devices worn on the wrist with an array of capabilities, are a lucrative market, with global sales worth tens of billions of dollars.
Masimo has also sued Apple at the US International Trade Commission over Apple Watch imports that it said violated its patent rights. An ITC judge preliminarily ruled in favor of Masimo in January, which could lead to an import ban on infringing Apple Watches if the full commission affirms the decision.
Apple is facing another potential Apple Watch import ban in a separate patent fight with Mountain View, California-based medical device maker AliveCor over heart-monitoring technology.
Apple is opening its first stores in India, one in Mumbai and the other in Delhi. What does this mean for Apple customers in India? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Meta Platforms emerged as the first mega-cap technology company to tap the US investment-grade bond market as turmoil in the financial sector has toppled five banks since March.
The social-media behemoth, which reported earnings last week, is looking to raise $7 billion (nearly Rs. 57,250 crore) in a five-part deal, according to a person familiar with the matter. The longest portion of the offering, a 40-year security, may yield 215 basis points over Treasuries, the person said.
Eleven companies have already come forward with bond offerings Monday as companies look to issue debt before the Federal Open Market Committee meeting and subsequent rate decision Wednesday.
Meta raised $10 billion (nearly Rs. 81,790 crore) in its first ever corporate bond issue last year. The Facebook parent plans to use the fresh funds to help finance capital expenditures, repurchase outstanding shares of its common stock, and for acquisitions or investments, the person added.
The Menlo Park, California-based company has spent the last months cutting costs and restructuring its workforce, while advertising sales rebounded in the first quarter. Even though it touts strong cash flow, the company is likely looking to shore up extra cash for future bond buybacks, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Robert Schiffman.
“After it boosted repurchase authorization by $40 billion (nearly Rs. 3,27,160 crore) in January, we envision shareholder returns will keep growing — similar to Alphabet and Apple — as free-cash-flow prospects improve,” he wrote in a note. “With initial price talk wide to peers, we perceive little credit risk and strong relative value out the curve.”
Representatives for Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Smartphone companies have launched many compelling devices over the first quarter of 2023. What are some of the best phones launched in 2023 you can buy today? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Amazon Great Summer Sale May 2023 is set to begin on May 4 for Amazon Prime subscribers, a day before the ecommerce giant's biggest sale of the season opens for all customers. The company will offer several deals, discounts, and offers across a variety of product categories including smartphones, laptops, TVs and appliances, and Amazon-branded devices. It has begun teasing some of these deals via a landing page on its website. Users can also avail of a 10 percent discount on specific bank cards as well as use exchange discounts to lower the prices of eligible products during the upcoming sale. Here's a guide to help you prepare for Amazon's upcoming summer sale.
When is the Amazon Great Summer Sale 2023?
The upcoming Amazon Great Summer Sale begins at 12am (midnight) on May 4. However, only Amazon Prime will be able to access the deals during the first 24 hours of the sale. If you don't have a subscription, you will have to wait for the next day. Like Amazon's recent sales in the country, the company has not revealed when the sale will end.
What can you expect from the Amazon Great Summer Sale 2023?
You can expect to see several discounts and offers on a wide range of products during the Amazon Great Summer Sale, and the platform has already started teasing price-based categories for products that cost less than Rs. 99, Rs. 199, Rs. 299, Rs. 499 and so on. Amazon will also let you take advantage of deals that will be live between 8pm and 12am (midnight) as well as deals priced under Rs. 999. It will also offer 'Grand Opening' deals, and a 'Price Crash' store, as per the landing page for the upcoming sale.
Amazon has teased discounts of up to 70 percent on Amazon branded devices while TVs and appliances will see their prices drop by as much as 60 percent during the sale. Smartphones and accessories will be available starting at Rs. 5,899, while pricing for computer accessories will start at Rs. 99.
In addition to the discounts listed alongside products during the Amazon Great Summer Sale, you can also avail of 10 percent discounts on Kotak Bank and ICICI Bank credit, debit card, and EMI transactions. Similarly, exchange discounts on eligible products will allow you to lower their prices even further.
Finding the best deals, discounts and offers during the Amazon Great Summer Sale May 2023
There are several ways to make sure that you're getting the best deals and maximise your savings during the upcoming Amazon Great Summer Sale. You will need to prepare in advance in order and be aware of upcoming deals and timings for specific sale discounts, such as Amazon's "8pm deals".
1. Plan ahead, add products to your Wishlist
While you should definitely browse through the various sale offers and discounted products when the Amazon Great Summer Sale begins at midnight on Thursday, having a few of your most wanted products added to your Wishlist will let you quickly check if their prices have dropped and then take a decision on whether you should purchase them.
2. Sign up for Amazon Prime or gain access to the 30-day trial
Some of the best deals will be available when the sale begins on Thursday — but these will first be available to Amazon Prime subscribers. Some of these deals only survive for a few hours as more customers avail of the offers, and you might want you make sure you have access to the sale when it begins, especially if you are looking forward to purchasing a specific product that has already been confirmed to go on sale via the company's landing page.
3. Do your research and track prices
You can use websites and apps to track the prices of specific products that you're interested in, which will allow you to keep track of their lowest prices and whether it's a good idea to buy them — or some of them — during the upcoming sale. If you see that a product is at its lowest ever price point, it might be the best time to pick up that product.
4. Update your apps and refresh the website regularly
The first thing you should do is update your Amazon Prime app via the Google Play store or the App Store. This should ensure that you have a glitch-free experience when the sale goes live and you receive updates for the latest deals and discounts when you open the app. However, you should also keep an eye on the Amazon website as some of the deals may not be listed on the mobile app.
Apple is opening its first stores in India, one in Mumbai and the other in Delhi. What does this mean for Apple customers in India? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
watchOS 10 is expected to be unveiled next month, at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. Ahead of the upcoming update for eligible Apple Watch models, details of changes to the operating system for its smartwatches have surfaced online. The Cupertino company is said to introduce an interface with widget-focussed design, showing as much information as possible without requiring a user to navigate using the small display. Until now, watchOS has offered a design similar to iOS, with information tucked away in different parts of the interface.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman states in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter that the watchOS 10 update will bring some of the biggest changes to the watch lineup since the first version of the operating system was introduced in 2015. The interface will be inspired by Apple's widgets introduced on iOS 14, allowing users to get information as quickly as possible.
The first-generation Apple Watch that made its debut in 2015 featured a widgets interface called Glances. In our review of the smartwatch, we noted that Glances were like iOS' Notification Centre widgets, allowing you to tap once to open the app and access additional information. You could also quickly check the weather and control music playback without having to dig through the interface for these applications.
Gurman states that Apple will introduce an interface that is based on Apple's Glances system from the first-generation Apple Watch that was dropped in favour of a Home Screen and app-centric approach that worked with the company's Digital Crown for easy navigation. It will also function in a manner similar to Apple's widgets system introduced on iOS 14, which allows users to stack several widgets on the Home Screen to conserve space and scroll through them.
However, the change to the user interface on watchOS 10 might be so wide ranging that Gurman says Apple could make it opt-in for users. The company is also considering modifying the Digital Crown's functionality to surface the widget-focussed interface from the watch face, instead of navigating to the Home Screen.
watchOS 10 is expected to be unveiled by the company at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference that begins on June 5. The company is expected to unveil iOS 17, macOS 14, iPadOS 17, and tvOS 17 at the event. Apple is also planning to unveil its first mixed reality headset that could be called Reality Pro, at WWDC 2023, according to a report.
Apple is opening its first stores in India, one in Mumbai and the other in Delhi. What does this mean for Apple customers in India? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Redmi Note 12R Pro 5G was reportedly launched in China on Saturday. It is the latest model to join the expansive Redmi Note 12 lineup. The lineup consists of the Redmi Note 12 5G, Redmi Note 12 4G, Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G, Redmi Note 12 Pr+ 5G, and the Redmi Note 12 Turbo. The new Note 12R Pro 5G is said to be equipped with a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC. The phone is a mid-range offering and is expected to go on sale in China soon. The company reportedly released the handset in a single storage and three colour options.
Redmi Note 12R Pro 5G price
Launched in a sole 12GB + 256GB variant, the Redmi Note 12R Pro is priced at CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 23,700), according to a MySmartPrice report. The phone is said to be offered in Black, Gold, and White colour options. Redmi has not yet confirmed the launch or the sale date of the smartphone. The handset was also not listed on the company website, at the time of writing this story. It has also not been revealed if and when the model will see a global and/or Indian release.
Redmi Note 12R Pro 5G specifications, features
The Redmi Note 12R Pro 5G reportedly comes with a 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1080×2400) OLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a peak local brightness of 1200 nits. The smartphone is said to be powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC paired with 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 inbuilt storage. It reportedly runs Android 13-based MIUI 14.
The dual rear camera unit of the Redmi Note 12R Pro 5G is said to include a 48-megapixel primary sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. According to the report, a 16-megapixel front camera is housed in a centre-aligned punch-hole slot at the top of the display.
The Redmi Note 12R Pro 5G reportedly packs a 5,000mAh battery unit with 33W fast charging support. For security, the phone has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, integrated with the power button on the right edge, the report adds.
The report also adds that the connectivity options of the Redmi Note 12R Pro 5G include 5G, dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, dual-SIM card support, Bluetooth v5.1, and GPS. The handset comes with a 3.5mm audio jack, a USB Type-C port, and an IP53 rating, according to the report. It is said to weigh 188 grams and measures 165.88mm × 76.21mm × 7.98mm in size.
Xiaomi launched its camera focussed flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra smartphone, while Apple opened it's first stores in India this week. We discuss these developments, as well as other reports on smartphone-related rumours and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
