Category: Tech

Alibaba Appoints Eddie Wu as New CEO; Joseph Tsai to Be New Chairman Starting September 10

Chinese tech giant Alibaba said Tuesday it will replace its top boss in a surprise move at the e-commerce titan as it looks to recover from years of slow growth caused by weak consumer spending and a crackdown by authorities.

The move comes as the market leader prepares to undergo a fundamental reorganisation of its sprawling business operations, which span cloud computing, e-commerce, logistics, media and entertainment, and artificial intelligence.

Tuesday’s announcement will see chairman and CEO Daniel Zhang replaced by Joseph Tsai as chairman and Eddie Wu as CEO, the company said. Both appointments will take effect on September 10.

Zhang said in a statement it was “the right time” for him to step down as the firm looks to implement a full spin-off of its advanced cloud computing unit.

Following the executive transition, Zhang will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group, the company said.

Incoming top boss Tsai said in a statement that Zhang had “demonstrated extraordinary leadership in navigating unprecedented uncertainties affecting our business over the past few years”.

The firm has faced various new headwinds in recent years as Beijing imposed tighter restrictions on the domestic tech sector, while weak consumer spending saw it record its third consecutive quarter of single-digit revenue growth earlier this year.

In a shock announcement, Alibaba said in late March that it would split into six business groups — one of the most significant overhauls of a leading Chinese tech firm to date.

Zhang said at the time that the restructuring would give the individual business units the ability to pursue independent financing and public listing plans.

Under the new arrangement, each unit will be managed by its own CEO and board of directors.

The company has said it aims to achieve a “more nimble” structure in order to maintain competitiveness in the face of new regulatory challenges and mounting pressures on the global economy.

Alibaba was founded in 1999 by Jack Ma, who has kept a low profile since late 2020 when a speech he made attacking Chinese regulators was followed by Beijing pulling the plug on a planned IPO by Alibaba affiliate Ant Group.

A record fine of $2.75 billion (Rs. 22,600 crore) was later imposed on the tech giant for alleged unfair business practices.

In January, Ant Group said Jack Ma no longer held controlling rights in the company — a move analysts speculated might have helped pull Ant and Alibaba out of the regulatory doghouse.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Google Pixel 7a’s Tensor G2 SoC Might Be Different From That of Pixel 7: All Details

Google Pixel 7a was launched in May during the company’s I/O event with several notable improvements over the Pixel 6a. However, one of the prime improvements comes in the form of the chipset. Google’s in-house Tensor G2 SoC powers the new iteration of the affordable Pixel A series handset. The Tensor G2 SoC is also present in Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro models. Now a tipster claims that the Tensor G2 SoC that powers the Pixel 7a is a slightly lesser version of the chipset that fuels the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. Google could have used a technology called IPoP for the Pixel 7a.

Tipster Kamila (@Za_Raczke) on Twitter claims that the new Pixel 7a runs on a different lighter version of the Tensor G2 SoC than the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The “Pixel 7a uses a different, possibly slightly worse version of the Tensor G2 than the Pixel 7” he tweeted.

According to the tipster, Google uses Samsung’s services for the manufacturing of silicon dies as well as packaging. Both the original Tensor and Pixel 7’s Tensor G2 appear to use Samsung’s proprietary FOPLP (Fan Out Panel Level Packaging)-PoP (Package on Package) technology. He states that Google has developed a new version of the Tensor G2 SoC with inferior packaging called “IPOP” to reduce costs. As stated by Samsung, IPOP is thicker, and larger and generates more heat than the premium FOPLP technology.

In India, the Google Pixel 7a is priced at Rs. 43,999 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model. It is offered in Chalk, Snow, and Sea colour options.

The Pixel 7a features a 6.1-inch full-HD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It has a dual rear camera unit, comprising a 64-megapixel primary camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and a 13-megapixel sensor. It is backed by a 4,385mAh battery that supports the Qi charging standard.

Google I/O 2023 saw the search giant repeatedly tell us that it cares about AI, alongside the launch of its first foldable phone and Pixel-branded tablet. This year, the company is going to supercharge its apps, services, and Android operating system with AI technology. 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.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Softbank CEO Says He is ‘Heavy User’ of ChatGPT, Speaks to OpenAI’s Sam Altman Often

SoftBank Group‘s Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said on Tuesday he is a “heavy user” of ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence-powered chatbot from Microsoft-backed startup OpenAI.

Son said he is speaking “almost everyday” to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who has made high-profile visits to Tokyo this year as he looks to capitalise on interest in generative AI and exert influence on the regulation of the burgeoning technology around the world.

“I am chatting with ChatGPT everyday – I am a heavy user,” Son told shareholders of the group’s telecoms subsidiary.

Son has stepped back from public pronouncements in recent months to focus on the planned listing of chip designer Arm as his technology investment conglomerate books heavy loss due to the sliding value of its portfolio.

The group holds its annual general meeting on Wednesday with the market looking for details of Son’s investment outlook at a time when excitement over AI is driving capital expenditure around the world.

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz said on Thursday last week US drivers could power some of their luxury vehicles with ChatGPT in a test program starting June 16.

Compatible with some 900,000 vehicles that have the automaker’s “MBUX” systems, ChatGPT will download over the air after drivers opt in via a Mercedes app or by voice command, the company said. The test will last three months during which Mercedes will see how drivers use the technology.

Mercedes said ChatGPT would make its car system’s answers sound more natural and would let drivers ask for destination information or address other queries, like what to cook for dinner.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Byju Said to Lay Off Between 500-1,000 Employees in Another Round of Job Cuts

Popular Indian edu-tech startup Byju‘s will lay off between 500 and 1,000 employees in another round of job cuts to cut costs, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday.

The company, which employs around 50,000 employees, is one of India’s largest startups, once valued at $22 billion (nearly Rs. 1,80,250 crore). It was founded in 2011 and has attracted global investors such as General Atlantic, BlackRock and Sequoia Capital over the past decade.

A spokesperson for the company declined to comment on possible layoffs.

The company has already cut more than 3,000 jobs in the past year, and the latest round is in line with cost-cutting measures aimed at achieving profitability, the source said, without giving a timeframe for when the company expects to be in the black.

Byju’s valuation was marked down to $8.2 billion (nearly Rs. 67,200 crore) by Blackrock last month, over 60 percent below its peak valuation. This was its second markdown after BlackRock marked it down to $11 billion (nearly Rs. 90,120 crore) in March, according to a filing by the US fund seen by Reuters.

The company is also fighting a battle in US courts with creditors who want an early repayment of a $1.2 billion (nearly Rs. 9,800 crore) loan.

India’s Enforcement Directorate raided three premises linked to the online learning platform in April over alleged foreign exchange law violations, which Byju’s has denied.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 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.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Boult Crown R Pro Smartwatch With 1.43-Inch Super AMOLED Display Launched in India

Boult Crown R Pro smartwatch has been launched in India. The smartwatch sports a 1.43-inch Super AMOLED round display, offering a resolution of 466×466 pixels and a peak brightness of up to 500 nits. The wearable comes with features like Bluetooth calling and smart health monitors including a heart rate sensor, blood pressure monitor, SpO2 sensor, sleep monitor, and menstrual cycle tracker. It also gets connectivity support for Bluetooth 5.2 and a dedicated mic and speaker for calling. The smartwatch gets a Zinc-Alloy metallic frame.

Boult Crown R Pro smartwatch price in India

Boult Crown R Pro price in India is set at Rs. 2,999 and is available for purchase via the official Boult website. The watch is available in three colour shades namely Frozen Silver, Thunder Black, and Volcanic Orange.

Boult Crown R Pro specifications, features

The new smartwatch from Boult comes with a round dial and a rotating crown. The Boult Crown R Pro sports a 1.43-inch Super AMOLED display offering a resolution of 466×466 pixels and a peak brightness of up to 500 nits. The watch also supports an always-on display. Along with Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity support, the watch also has a dedicated mic and speaker for calling.

The Boult Crown R Pro comes equipped with a SpO2 sensor, heart rate monitoring, blood-pressure trackers as well as a female health tracker and sleep monitors. Additionally, it also supports over 120 sports modes including cricket, running, cycling, basketball, yoga, and swimming. Users can also choose from over 150 watch faces for the smartwatch. Moreover, the watch supports AI voice assistance and the Find My Phone feature.

Besides, the smartwatch also has an inbuilt alarm clock, a timer, a stopwatch, weather monitoring, and sedentary reminders. It also comes with smart notifications features for messages, calls, and other apps on a connected smartphone. The smartwatch has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. 

Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


Nothing Phone 2’s Charging Cable Design Teased Ahead of July 11 Launch



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Nothing Phone 2’s Charging Cable Design Teased Ahead of July 11 Launch

Nothing is all set to launch the successor to its Nothing Phone 1 next month. The Nothing Phone 2’s design and some of the key specifications have already been teased by the company. Now, in the latest development, the company’s CEO Carl Pei has shared the design of the charging cable that will come alongside Nothing Phone 2. A few days back the company also revealed that the upcoming smartphone will be equipped with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and a 4700mAh battery.

Nothing’s CEO Carl Pei has revealed the design of the upcoming Nothing Phone 2 charging cable via Twitter. The USB type-C cable will get a transparent outer layer with a silver-coloured USB port. The port can be seen to get Nothing branding. Additionally, the teased image also suggests that the Nothing Phone 2 will ship with a white-coloured USB type-C cable. 

Previously, the company teased the design of the soon-to-be-launched Nothing Phone 2 as well as its key specifications while announcing the launch date of the upcoming smartphone. The handset is confirmed to be powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and will pack a 4,700 mAh battery. Nothing has also revealed that the handset will sport a 6.7-inch display screen. Furthermore, the company has teased a redesigned rear Glyph interface on the phone.

Nothing also announced to offer three years of Android OS updates and four years of security updates on the upcoming Nothing Phone 2.

Nothing Phone 2 will succeed Nothing Phone 1, which was launched in India last year in July. The handset features a unique transparent back panel with the Glyph Interface and LED strips. It gets a 6.55-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 778G+ SoC and packs a 4,500mAh battery. 

 

The Motorola Edge 40 recently made its debut in the country as the successor to the Edge 30 that was launched last year. Should you buy this phone instead of the Nothing Phone 1 or the Realme Pro+? 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.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Apple Granted Patent for Wireless Accessories Including AR/VR Headset With iPhone and Wireless Charging Station

Apple has been granted a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that could allow the company to create an accessory that would enable an iPhone to be used as a VR headset. The application for the patent was filed at the end of 2021, nearly a year and a half before Apple announced its first wearable mixed reality headset, the Apple Reality Pro. The patent application also suggests that Apple’s engineers continued to work on a version of the company’s cancelled AirPower wireless charger.

Patent US 11,677,429 B2, granted to Apple (via Patently Apple) on June 13, details the company’s plans for an accessory that can be mounted on a user’s head. The design of the accessory appears to resemble a VR headset that can house a smartphone, similar to a Google Cardboard headset. The patent lists Stephen Schooley, Ross Arriens, Sara Rusignuolo, Craig Ogden, Ho Chung, Vusthla Reddy, Jeremy Bataillou, and Xinping Zeng as the inventors of the technology.

Figure 11 shows a headset accessory that connects to a handset
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ US Patent and Trademark Office

 

The patent also includes an illustration that shows an isometric view of a headset-like accessory (denoted by the figure 11-800) that can wirelessly detect an electronic device like an iPhone (denoted by the figure 11-850). The head-mounted device could take the form of a virtual reality or augmented reality headset, according to the document, which describes a receptacle for the headset and a band that wraps around a user’s head. The headset and the phone are shown to communicate using wireless circuitry on both devices.

Additionally, the document also reveals a diagram of a wireless charging station that looks remarkably similar to Apple’s cancelled AirPower charging station. Two smartphones and a pair of wireless headphones are shown to be charging wirelessly — one of the handsets is shown in a case that can communicate wirelessly with the charging station, while a secondary screen on the case shows the charging status of both phones as well as the earphones. that are being charged.

Figure 12 shows a charging station with one device showing the charging status of multiple devices
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ US Patent and Trademark Office

 

However, as with all patented technology, there’s no word on whether — or when — these features will make their way to Apple devices in the future. The company recently announced its first mixed reality headset that combines AR and VR, at the recently concluded Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023. Meanwhile, the AirPower was cancelled by Apple in 2019, over a year after it was unveiled in 2017.

Earlier this month, Apple was granted a patent that would allow the company to create new smartphones and tablets that are resistant to abrasion and scratches. The patent could lead to a new material that combines metal and ceramic to create a new material that offers better durability and is scratch-resistant, which means users might not need to use their iPhone with a protective case — at some point in the future.

Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 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.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 Camera Specifications Tipped, May Feature Waterdrop Hinge: All Details

Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 is expected to launch later this year as a successor to the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2, which was released in August 2022. The Mix Fold 2 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC and is backed by a 4,500mAh battery with 67W wired fast charging support. The upcoming foldable smartphone is expected to feature a periscope camera and is likely to come with a waterproof design. A tipster has now leaked the camera specifications and design of the upcoming phone.

Tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) claims that the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 will come with a white curved glass body. The quad rear camera unit of the foldable handset is expected to feature two zoom lenses. One lens is likely to come with a 3.2 times zoom and the other is expected to feature a 5x periscope lens for long-range zoom, according to the tipster.

Moreover, the tipster adds that the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 is likely to feature a waterdrop hinge that is speculated to strengthen the handset’s drop resistance capacity. Previous reports suggest that the phone will be thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

The upcoming Xiaomi Fold phone is expected to sport a 6.5-inch cover screen and an 8.02-inch primary display with a full-HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The handset is likely to be powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC with up to 16GB of LPDDDR5x RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 inbuilt storage.

Xiaomi’s Mix Fold 3 is likely to be backed by a 4,800mAh battery with 120W wired fast charging, and 50W wireless charging support. The phone is said to sport an under-display selfie camera sensor. It is expected to launch in August this year.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


iQoo 11S Storage, Charging, and Camera Specifications Tipped: All Details



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

iQoo 11S Storage, Charging, and Camera Specifications Tipped: All Details

iQoo 11S from the Vivo sub-brand is expected to be launched soon. A few days ago, Vivo‘s Vice President and General Manager of Product Strategy shared the official design of the smartphone via a Weibo post. Now, a tipster has hinted at the storage details of the upcoming handset. It was previously reported that the iQoo 11S could be powered by an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and get 200W flash charging support.

In a Weibo post, tipster Digital Chat Station leaked the storage details of the iQoo 11S. According to the tipster, the upcoming smartphone will get 1TB UFS 4.0 storage. The tipster also added that the phone from iQoo could get 200W fast charging, and is expected to sport a Sony IMX866V camera sensor on the rear panel.

Meanwhile, a Vivo executive recently shared the image of the smartphone on Weibo, displaying the back panel. The iQoo 11S appears to have a triple rear camera setup along with LED flash. The render showed the smartphone in a green matte colour variant.

Another post by Digital Chat Station previously suggested the processor details of the iQoo smartphone. It was tipped to get an overclocked version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, built on a 4nm process. The handset was then said to feature the Vivo V2 Image Signal Processor (ISP). However, the latest post suggests that the V2 chip may not to be a part of the iQoo 11S.

Tipster Paras Guglani along with MEFMobile earlier hinted that the smartphone could launch in China in Q3 2023, while the global release is expected to be take place in August or June this year.

The iQoo 11S has been hinted to get two configuration variants. The base variant could get 8GB RAM and 256GB of storage, while another option is expected to come with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


Fire-Boltt Ultimate Smartwatch With 1.39-Inch Display, IP68 Rating Launched in India



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Vivo X90s Official Launch Date Confirmed; RAM and Storage Details Tipped

Vivo X90s was teased by the company’s Vice President and General Manager of Product Strategy recently. The new smartphone was hinted to run on the MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ SoC. In an announcement today, the company has confirmed the launch date of the Vivo X90s. The phone will be launched in China in the coming week. Meanwhile, a tipster has suggested the RAM and storage details of the upcoming smartphone, which shares design similarities with the Vivo X90 and the Vivo X90 Pro.

On Monday, Vivo shared the launch date of the upcoming Vivo X90s in a Weibo post. The smartphone will be launched in China on June 26, 02:30 PM local time (12 PM IST). Jia Jingdong, Vivo’s Vice President and General Manager of Product Strategy, recently teased the Vivo X90s via another Weibo post.

Sharing a glimpse of the upcoming smartphone’s design, it was confirmed that the smartphone will at least get a white colour variant. The rear panel also sports Zeiss branded triple rear cameras along with an LED flash.

Meanwhile, in another Weibo post by tipster Digital Chat Station, it was hinted that the Vivo X90s will launch in China with LPDD5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. The top-end variant of the phone will get 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The tipster also suggested that the handset will feature a MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ SoC.

A previous report said that the Vivo X90s could offer Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. It is expected to release in five colour options — Black, Blue, Green, Red, and White.

The Vivo X90s’ specifications were also teased in a TENAA listing earlier, hinting that the smartphone will sport a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution of 2,800 x 1,280 pixels. The listing suggested the Vivo X90S to release with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of inbuilt storage.

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.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Exit mobile version