Everything Apple announced at its jam-packed ‘Peek Performance’ event
Here’s a brief list of everything Apple announced at its spring event, with highlights of each announcement and links to our more in-depth coverage.
Apple TV+ films and Friday Night Baseball
Apple began the event by highlighting the critical success it has has with Apple TV+, particularly its original acclaimed movies “CODA” and “The Tragedy of MacBeth.” Then it previewed some new films such as “Spirited” and “Lucky.” We maintain a list of all the upcoming shows, series, and movies on Apple TV+.
But the big announcement was a new Friday Night Baseball feature. In partnership with the MLB, Apple TV+ subscribers (and for a limited time, non-subscribers) will be able to watch a live double-header on Friday evenings, complete with a live pre- and post-game show. Friday Night Baseball is free as part of Apple TV+ in eight countries, and fans in the US will also get “MLB Big Inning,” a live show with highlights and look-ins every weeknight. The US and Canada will get a new 24/7 live stream devoted to MLB replays, news, classic games, and more. All this baseball stuff starts as soon as the new MLB season does.0 seconds of 9 minutes, 1 secondVolume 0%03:4700:0009:01
Green iPhone 13
Last year, Apple gave us a purple iPhone 12. This year, it’s two new green iPhone 13 models. The regular iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini are now available in green, while the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are available in a new Alpine Green finish. Preorders start on Friday, March 11, with availability on March 18.
iPhone SE
The next announcement from Apple was the one we all expected: a third-generation iPhone SE. It looks just like the second-gen model with an iPhone 8 body and display, only with the latest and greatest A15 processor inside. This means better performance and battery life, plus 5G capability–but only for sub-6GHz networks, not mmWave.
The iPhone SE has the same cameras as before, but the improved image processing of the A15 means better photos and videos (though it still doesn’t have night mode). It starts at $429, a $30 increase over the previous model’s price. The iPhone SE goes up for preorder on March 11 and will be available on March 18.
Apple
5th-generation iPad Air with M1 processor
We also expected a new iPad Air update, and Apple didn’t disappoint. Rather than step up from the A14 to the A15, Apple included the same M1 processor you’ll find in the iPad Pro. The front camera gets an upgrade to the 12MP ultra-wide with Center Stage support, too.
The price is still $599, but the cellular-equipped model, which now has 5G support, is $20 more than it used to be. As with most of the products Apple announced, pre-orders begin on March 11 with availability on March 18.
M1 Ultra
M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max… and now M1 Ultra. That’s right, Apple has a fourth variant of its M1 Apple Silicon, and it’s essentially two M1 Max chips in a single package, connected by a custom high-speed interconnect. It appears to the operating system to be a single chip with 20 CPU cores, 64 GPU cores, and up to 128GB of memory. Everything else is double the M1 Max, too: double the Neural Engine for ML tasks, double the video engine, double the memory bandwidth. It’s a monster of a chip and an impressive technical feat.
Apple
Apple says it delivers up to 90 percent more performance than the most powerful competing 16-core desktop CPU (a Core i9-129000K with DDR5 memory) when running at the same power envelope (roughly 60 watts). It can match the peak performance of said chip while using 100 watts less power.
The GPU, according to Apple, is about as fast as a GeForce GTX 3090 while using about 200 watts less power.
Mac Studio
This monster of a chip will debut in a whole new product: Mac Studio. Think of it like two or three Mac minis stacks on top of each other, with lots of Thunderbolt ports and even an SD card slot in the front. It’s about 7.7 inches square and 3.7 inches tall. It’s available with an M1 Max, 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD starting at $1,999. That’s for a 24-core GPU version–the full 32-core GPU will cost $200 more, and you can get 64 GB of RAM and an SSD up to 8TB, too.
Apple
Or you can get it with the new M1 Ultra, 64GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD for $3,999. That’s with a 48-core GPU–the 64-core GPU version is another $1,000, and you can configure it with 128GB of RAM and up to 8TB of storage.
A Mac Studio fully kitted out with the M1 Ultra, 128GB of RAM, and an 8GB SSD sells for $7,999, on par with one of the lowest-end Mac Pro configurations you can buy. It is likely much more powerful than a Mac Pro that costs 2-3 times more.
Apple Studio Display
Last but not least, there’s the Apple Studio Display, Apple’s first new consumer display in over a decade.
The display part is almost identical to the display of the 27-inch iMac, but with much slimmer bezels: It’s got the same 5k resolution, P3 Wide Color, and True Tone, but no HDR or 120Hz ProMotion.
That would hardly be enough to justify the $1,599 starting price (you can spend more for a tilt-and-height adjustable stand or nano-texture glass), but the Studio Display is more than just a monitor. It’s got an A13 inside to manage the 12-megapixel ultra-wide webcam with Center Stage support, three-mic array, and six-speaker audio system with Spatial Audio. It’s also got four USB-C ports (10Gb/sec) and a Thunderbolt 3 port (48Gb/sec) that can supply up to 96 watts to charge your MacBook.
Apple removed the 27-inch iMac from its lineup at this time; it’s clear that the company intends those who want a bigger desktop experience than the 24-inch iMac to purchase an Apple Studio Display to go along with their Mac mini, Mac Studio, or MacBook.
From Macworld
New Redmi model surfaces on TENAA with 50MP camera
A new Xiaomi Redmi model has surfaced on TENAA (model number 22041219C), one of the more affordable units by the looks of it, though we haven’t identified it yet – it doesn’t help that there are no pictures of the phone uploaded yet.
Looks aside, it will have a 6.58” IPS LCD with 1,080 x 2,408 px resolution and will measure 164 x 76.1 x 8.9 mm, weighing 200g. There will be a 5 MP selfie camera on the front.
On the back, a 50 MP main camera and one other, though its resolution is not listed. This means we’re not looking at the Redmi K50 (which will have a triple cam on the rear with 64 MP main).
The battery capacity is listed as 4,900 mAh and there is a USB-C port, however, charging details are not provided. Other connectivity includes an IR blaster. There is a fingerprint reader on board, probably mounted on the side since very few recent Xiaomis have a reader on the back.
From Gsmarena
vivo Y01 goes official: Helio P35 SoC, 6.51″ screen, and 5,000 mAh battery
vivo announced the Y33s 5G last week, and today, the company added another member to its Y-series portfolio, dubbed vivo Y01.
The vivo Y01 is built around a 6.51″ LCD of HD+ resolution with a notch for the 5MP selfie camera. The plastic back of the phone, with striped texture, sports a camera island housing a single 13MP primary camera joined by an LED flash. But some regions will get an 8MP unit.
Under the hood, the vivo Y01 has the Helio P35 SoC and boots FuntouchOS 11.1 based on Android 11 (Go Edition). The smartphone has two storage options (2GB/3GB) and comes with 32GB of storage onboard. However, it also has a dedicated microSD card slot, allowing storage expansion up to 1TB.
The vivo Y01 sports a side-mounted fingerprint reader, which is a market-dependent feature. But regardless of whether you get it or not in your country, the Y01 will come with Face Access, letting you unlock the phone with your face.
Keeping the vivo Y01 up and running is a 5,000 mAh battery that draws power through a microUSB port at up to 10W. It also supports reverse wired charging.
The vivo Y01 is offered in Sapphire Blue and Elegant Black colors, but its pricing and availability details are unknown.
From Gsmarena
Redmi Note 11 Pro series brings 120Hz OLED, 108MP camera for under Rs 20,000
The Redmi Note 11 series global launch took place in January, bringing a quartet of phones to wider markets. This launch didn’t include India though, but Xiaomi has finally brought some of these devices to the market.
The Indian launch sees two devices coming to the market, namely the Redmi Note 11 Pro and the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G. For what it’s worth, the Pro Plus model simply seems to be the global Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G with a new name.
Redmi’s two phones share plenty in common, such as a 6.67-inch 120Hz OLED screen and a 5,000mAh battery with 67W charging. Expect the same camera setup here too, featuring a 108MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide camera, and 2MP macro sensor.
Other shared features include a 16MP selfie camera, dual stereo speakers, a headphone port, IR blaster, and MIUI 13 atop Android 11.
However, the two phones differ when it comes to the chipset, as the Pro Plus 5G model offers a Snapdragon 695 5G SoC. The Redmi Note 11 Pro, on the other hand, serves up a Mediatek Helio G96 4G processor. But that’s just about the only differentiating factor here.
Redmi confirmed that the Redmi Note 11 Pro has a promo price of Rs 17,999 (~$234) for the 6GB/128GB model, while the 8GB/128GB variant will set you back a promo price of Rs 19,999 (~$260). There’s no word on pricing after the promotional period.
Meanwhile, the Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5G starts at Rs 20,999 (~$273) for the 6GB/128GB variant, Rs 22,999 (~$300) for the 8GB/128GB model, and Rs 24,999 (~$326) for the 8GB/256GB option.
The 5G variant goes on sale from March 15, while the 4G phone will go on sale from March 23. The devices will be available from mi.com, Amazon India, Mi Home stores, and other participating retailers.
Redmi also announced the local launch of the Redmi Watch 2 Lite, coming in at Rs 4,999 (~$65) and available from March 15.
From Android Authority
Xiaomi Civi 2 specs leak, suggest a Snapdragon 778G+ chipset
Xiaomi launched the first Civi smartphone back in September 2021, and it was a relatively compact midranger with a standout design. Sadly, it was never launched outside the domestic market, despite its intriguing specs like a 120Hz OLED, 55W fast-charging and a 64MP triple camera.
Now according to Digital Chat Station, a successor is on its way. It will be a modest update, with the key difference being a new chipset – Snapdragon 778G+.
The SoC is one of the changes, the other one being MIUI 13, likely with Android 12 underneath. Everything else looks the same – the charging, the cameras, the display technology and the fast-charging speeds. We would not be surprised if Xiaomi decided to keep the design as well.
The Snapdragon 778G+ comes with a 20% boost in CPU and GPU performance, compared with the non-Plus version of the chipset. The Civi 2 is going to perform better than its predecessor, but we do believe its effect on the battery will be marginal, given how small the changes are across the whole device.
From Gsmarena
Galaxy F23 launches in India priced at $200 w/ Snapdragon 750G, 120Hz display, more
While we’re very much anticipating a new wave of affordable Samsung A-series smartphones, the low-end lineup has increased with the launch of the Galaxy F23 in India.
The Galaxy F23 looks like it might offer some serious bang for your rupee in India and leverages much of what made the Galaxy A52 5G such a compelling option last year. Measuring in at 6.6 inches, the Gorilla Glass 5 coated FHD+ display comes with a dewdrop notch and a 120Hz refresh rate.
Internally, the Galaxy F23 utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 750 processor. This makes it the first such F-series handset to pack in a Qualcomm chip. Completing the internal spec sheet is 4 or 6GB of RAM, which is paired with 128GB of micro SD expandable storage up to 1TB. The battery is rated at 5,000mAh and can be topped up at 25W speeds.
At the rear, the triple camera setup consists of a 50-megapixel main sensor, 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The dewdrop notch at the front of the Galaxy F23 houses an 8-megapixel ultrawide selfie camera with an effective 123-degree FOV.
Somewhat fortuitously, the Galaxy F23 is also set to ship with One UI 4.1 atop Android 12 pre-installed with two years of OS upgrades and four years of security patches guaranteed. Given that the only other Samsung device with One UI 4.1 installed is the Galaxy S22 series, this is quite the bonus.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy F23 is limited to India at present and will be available in Aqua Blue and Forest Green priced at just ₹14999 or ~$195 from March 16. This introductory price will be increased to ₹17,499 (~$230) once the promotion has ended.
From 9to5Google
Images of global Xiaomi 12 and 12 Pro leak, along with prices for them and the 12X
Xiaomi will announce the global rollout of its 12-series flagships next week on March 15. You have already seen what the phones look like, more or less, the global versions will have only minor cosmetic changes as seen in leaked renders (e.g. a 5G label on the back).
Here’s another look at the images, this times without watermarks, courtesy of SnoopyTech. The leakster also has pricing info for Europe for the Xiaomi 12 series, as well a the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G. This last one launched in India today and we hadn’t heard that it’s coming to Europe as well.
Let’s start with the Xiaomi 12 Pro. According to Snoopy, it will cost €1,100-1,200 depending on the memory configuration. The Mi 11 Pro skipped Europe last year, so we can’t make a direct price comparison, but the new Pro is pricey.
The Xiaomi 12 is more reasonable with an €850-900 price, but that’s still €100 more than the Mi 11 cost last year for the same memory configuration.
If that seems too pricey, the Xiaomi 12X is almost the same phone with a Snapdragon 870 instead of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. That’s a two generation gap in performance, but also a lot of money saved as well – the 12X will allegedly cost €650-700.
This is assuming these leaked prices are correct, of course, but they seem to line up with the price leak from last week.
As for the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G, that one will be even cheaper with a price in the €460-500 range. We have the prices for the different memory configurations in a table below.
| 6/128 GB | 8/128 GB | 12/128 GB | 8/256 GB | 12/256 GB | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | – | – | €1,100 | – | €1,200 |
| Xiaomi 12 | – | €850 | – | €900 | – |
| Xiaomi 12X | – | €650 | – | €700 | – |
| Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G | €460 | – | – | €500 | – |
From Gsmarena
Carl Pei’s Nothing to confirm ‘product roadmap’ at March 23 event
After recent leaks and teases, Carl Pei’s Nothing is moving closer to a follow-up to the ear(1) earbuds with March 23 event planned to discuss the future “product roadmap” which could include an Android-powered smartphone.
Since the inception of the company, fans and media have speculated over whether Nothing will release a smartphone. It seems that this March 23 keynote will shed some light on the GV-backed firm’s product roadmap for 2022. This virtual event will be hosted directly at nothing.tech where fans can RSVP to be notified when the live stream officially begins.
This event is not the only new as Nothing has confirmed a further $70M has been raised with the financing set to be used to scale the Nothing “product ecosystem” and further establish its London Design Hub headed by former Dyson Head of Design Adam Bates. Nothing has seen backing from GV (formerly Google Ventures) among a list of other high-profile names in the tech and online entertainment space. A partnership with Qualcomm is yet another hint that a smartphone has always been in the pipeline for the London-based tech firm.
In a press release, Pei hinted at some interesting announcements: “Our first year was a warmup, and we can’t wait to reveal what we’re building at Nothing during the upcoming event.” However, the company has not shared any details on just what we may see. The recent images of Pei holding what appears to be a prototype smartphone will certainly be at the forefront of many fans thoughts.
TechCrunch recently reported that Nothing is set to reveal its first smartphone this month with elements of the transparent design utilized on the ear(1) earbuds part of the aesthetic. A smartphone would certainly be at the forefront of Nothing’s overall product roadmap.
From 9to5Google
Samsung has already unveiled the Galaxy M23 and M33 5G without fanfare
The Galaxy M23 5G and M33 5G have entered into the final stretch. Although these two budget phones are not yet available for purchase, Samsung is seemingly planning to change this soon. Official press renders and specifications were quietly revealed by Samsung a few days ago, leaving very little left to uncover for whenever the phones do happen to go on sale.
From Sammobile
Samsung Galaxy M53 5G listed on Geekbench with Dimensity 900
It’s only a matter of time before Samsung releases a 2022 sequel to its well-rounded Galaxy M52 5G and the first bit of info about the Galaxy M53 5G is out thanks to a Geekbench listing. The Galaxy M53 5G bearing the SM-M536B identifier was spotted on Geekbench flaunting MediaTek’s Dimensity 900 chipset and 6GB RAM. The device managed 733 single-core points and 2,224 multi-core points in the test. The phone is also running on Android 12 presumably with One UI 4 on top.
From Gsmarenna
