Rumored Pixel Buds Pro could take advantage of Android 13’s new audio tech
Apple has a very well-deserved reputation as a trendsetter, so it’s little surprise to see a lot of earbud manufacturers introduce their own “Pro” earbuds following Apple’s lead with the AirPods Pro. While sub-$100 earbuds are getting better and better all the time, even offering features like ANC, if you want a best-in-class listening experience, these premium options can be worth saving up for. Google hasn’t really dipped its toes yet into the pro pool, and most recently shifted focus more towards the budget segment with the Pixel Buds A-Series. That might soon be about to change, if the latest rumor is to be believed.
Tipster Jon Prosser is talking about the possible launch of the Pixel Buds Pro, which he says could be released in colors including Real Red, Carbon, Limoncello, and Fog. While we haven’t been hearing other specific rumors about this hardware, a new product like this would make a lot of sense, given Google’s earlier acquisition of 3D-audio company Dysonics and its work on spatial audio and head tracking in Android 13.
That being said, Prosser’s tweet doesn’t offer any details on just how “pro” these might be. This spatial stuff feel likely, and features like ANC are practically a given, but there’s still a whole lot we’re in the dark about — even assuming this rumor is accurate to begin with.
We also don’t get any details on when we might see these earbuds launch, outside a general “soon.” Google I/O gets underway next week, and we are expecting to see new hardware there, like maybe the Pixel Watch that Prosser himself leaked ages ago. There’s still a chance we might get some news about these Buds Pro then, but that would mean Google’s really done its work in keeping leaks to a minimum. Looking further out, something tied to the Pixel 7 launch later in the year might be a possibility.
From Android Police
Qualcomm unveils Wi-Fi 7 platforms for access points and home routers
Qualcomm announced the arrival of Wi-Fi 7 Networking Pro Series – a lineup of Wi-Fi chips for enterprise access points, premium home routers and advanced mesh systems. They offer up to 33 Gbps quad-band connectivity over 16 streams, more stable connection and minimized interference.
The four platforms part of this series support much wider 320MHz channels over 2.4GHz, 5Hz, and 6GHz spectrums.
It feels like Wi-Fi 6/6E arrived just yesterday, and while it was adopted in 2019 and 2020, companies are already gunning for the next-gen standard, dubbed by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11be.
Shortly put, it will bring Multi-Link Operation (MLO) for utilizing multiple radio links on different channel frequencies. There is also Adaptive Interface Puncturing (AIP) that discards slots of spectrum that are too congested.
All these technologies, introduced by Qualcomm, will enable even quicker and more stable internet speeds at venues such as stadiums. Nick Kucharewski, VP and General Manager of Wireless Infrastructure and Networking at the San Diego company, said Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6 would be able to coexist for a long time as markets “mature and evolve”.
It is worth mentioning that while Qualcomm is paving the way for the next Wi-Fi standard, expectations are it won’t be certified before 2024, so we’ll have to wait a little bit more before mass adoption is a thing.
From Gsmarena
AMD launches Ryzen 5000 C-series processors for Chromebooks
| AMD Model | Cores / Threads | Architecture | Graphics | Max Boost (Base) | L2+L3 Cache | GPU Cores (Max Boost) | Node | TDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 5825C | 8/16 | Zen 3 | Vega | Up to 4.5GHz (2.0) | 20MB | 8 (1.8GHz) | 7nm | 15W |
| Ryzen 5 5625C | 6/12 | Zen 3 | Vega | Up to 4.3GHz (2.3) | 19MB | 7 (1.6GHz) | 7nm | 15W |
| Ryzen 3 5425C | 4/8 | Zen 3 | Vega | Up to 4.1GHz (2.7) | 10MB | 6 (1.5GHz) | 7nm | 15W |
| Ryzen 3 5125C | 2/4 | Zen 3 | Vega | Up to 3.0GHz (3.0) | 9MB | 3 (1.2GHz) | 7nm | 15W |
Today, AMD is announcing its new Ryzen 5000 C-series processors, which are aimed at Chromebooks. The last time the firm launched a special series of chips for Chrome OS notebooks, it was the Ryzen 3000 series, so there’s going to be a big boost in performance here. They come with up to eight cores, and they’re build on the Zen 3 architecture.
Specifically, there are four SKUs
From XDA
GeForce Now adds support for 4K streaming on Windows and macOS
A couple of years after its debut, Nvidia GeForce Now is finally expanding its streaming options on PC and Mac. Starting today, GeForce Now supports 4K streaming on Windows and macOS.
Rolling out now through the Windows and macOS apps for GeForce Now, the cloud gaming service can stream games at up to 4k120, as long as your display can handle that quality and refresh rate. This only works through the native apps, though, not the browser client.
Of course, Nvidia GeForce Now’s RTX 3080 tier is required to stream games in 4K. Support for 4K first debuted alongside that stronger streaming tier last year exclusively on the Shield TV. Prior to this update, streaming on PC and macOS was capped at 1440p.
Nvidia touts that DLSS and the powerful hardware behind GeForce Now make this upgraded resolution possible.
From 9to5Google
Android 13 is getting new sideloading restrictions, but they are good.
Android 13’s restrictions are a bit different, though. They don’t target apps downloaded or sideloaded from a legitimate source such as the Google Play Store or F-Droid. They only affect user-acquired APK files from sources that arent trustworthy. That’s because an app can disguise itself as a well-intentioned service and use the Accessibility API to steal confidential user data.
Google told Esper that Android 13 might block users from granting accessibility permissions to a sideloaded app. When the restriction is applied, the service will be grayed out, and tapping it will bring up a prompt saying, “for your security, this setting is currently unavailable.” The system will determine whether an app has come from an app store or another source during installation.
From Android Authority
Google bought a MicroLED display company that could help make AR headsets better and cheaper
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Today Google hardware boss Rick Osterloh confirmed that the company has acquired Raxium, a five-year-old startup with MicroLED technology that could be key in building a new generation of augmented, virtual, and mixed reality headsets.
This adds to the evidence that Google’s next big AR move is growing closer: it previously acquired the glasses maker North in 2020, and is reportedly hiring engineers to build an augmented reality operating system. We learned in January that Google Labs is building an AR headset called “Project Iris,” under the same management as the Project Starline high-res video chat demo shown during its I/O event last year.
From The Verge
BOE OLED production for iPhone 13 halted
The OLED screen production for iPhone 13 by BOE, has been halted since February a new report claims. According to the Korean outlet The Elec, the design of the circuit width has been altered without prior authorization and Apple ordered its partner to halt production.
From Gsmarena
Apple, Google, and Microsoft to extend support for FIDO ‘passwordless’ sign-in
The new standard, which was created by FIDO and the World Wide Web Consortium, aims to allow apps and websites to offer a unified and secure login option across different devices and platforms. As the alliance pointed out, authentication that relies solely on passwords is more susceptible to security breaches, as many people have easy passwords or reuse them across services.
The three companies believe that while improvements in password management and two-factor authentication have made digital life safer, there’s still more they can do to protect users.
Both Apple, Google, and Microsoft already provide support for the FIDO Standard, but the current implementation still requires the user to log into each app or website on each device before enabling a passwordless sign-in method. That’s why they will now expand support for this new sign-in standard in their products.
Users will soon be able to access their FIDO credentials on all their devices without having to re-register for each account. Authentication will also work regardless of platform or web browser. More importantly, FIDO credentials will be offered as a single sign-in option, without the need for a password or recovery method.
Another addition to the standard is the ability to authenticate a new device using another nearby device that already has the credentials.
From 9to5Mac
EU Plans to Regulate Apple Delayed to Spring 2023 Amid Preparations to Enforce New Rules
The European Union’s wide-reaching new regulations to target Apple and other big tech companies will come into effect in early 2023, according to EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager (via TechCrunch).
From Macrumors
VPN providers are ordered to store user data for 5 or more years in India
The Indian government has published a directive that will force VPN providers and crypto exchange platforms to store user data for at least five years, even when customers have since terminated their relationship with the companies in question. Decision makers at businesses who don’t comply with the new ruling could face up to one year in prison, with it going into effect in late June 2022.
The directive states that the ruling is in place to enhance cyber security, allowing the Indian government’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) to gain information about potential incidents quicker, but the implications for customers are far reaching. VPN and VPS companies will have to store and, if asked, share a variety of data, including the validated names of customers, both their legal and email addresses, their phone numbers, IP addresses associated with them, the subscription period, and the “ownership pattern” of the subscriber.
From Android Police
