Vivo V23e pricing and some specifications have been leaked by a tipster on Twitter. As per the leak, the handset will feature a triple rear camera setup, headlined by a 64-megapixel main sensor and pack a 4,030mAh battery with 44W fast charging support.
The crisis sweeping the global semiconductor industry is enormous. With the tech world totally dependent on chips, the problem has become fundamental, and worse, nobody knows when it will end. And India, which is trying to push itself into the forefront of the tech manufacturing, is also facing the pinch acutely. India, which is dependent on imports for all its chip needs, is now trying to address the problem holistically.
According to a report in the Times of India, the Indian government has sounded out top chip-making companies like the TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company), Intel, AMD, Fujitsu and United Microelectronics Corp to try and set up manufacturing base in the country.
The Times of India report claims that the whole plan is being coordinated from the highest echelons of the country --- the Prime Minister's Office.
It is being said that the Indian government will go the extra mile to get any of these companies on board. The government is ready to roll out capital support and also extend the PLI (Performance Linked Investment) Scheme that has paid rich dividends in providing impetus to manufacturing in other sectors.
Senior Indian officials have reportedly got in touch with the top decision making personnel of chip companies and the talks are said to be progressing in a promising manner.
"All efforts will be made to formulate an attractive and investment-conducive scheme for companies looking at India,” the newspaper report quoted a top Indian government official as saying.
The Indian government has already held a top-level meeting with the top brass of relevant stakeholders in its various Ministries on the subject.
But it may not be smooth sailing for India
While India wooing global chip-making biggies is one thing and them committing to big billions of investments is another. Semiconductor making involves big budgets, and India is also up against competition as even countries like the US are said to be luring chip-makers to increase their investments there.
Also, chip-making industries need continuous electric supply and copious amounts of clean water. In India, the latter is a bit iffy as there is water shortage even for basic human living in its cities and villages.
Also, there is also the fundamental question as to whether India has woken up to the problem a bit late in the day. Assuming that even if it signs a contract with any of the top companies this month, the manufacturing process will take at least take 18 to 24 months to get going. That is close to two years. By then the chip crisis may have abated, hopefully.
In the wee hours of June 27, one of India’s most critical military installations, the high-security Air Force Station in Jammu, became victim of a ‘novel’ weaponised drone attack. The attack was first of its kind and is being seen as a precursor of things to come. The June 27 twin drone attack was masterminded and executed by terrorists in the Shakargarh sector targeting Air traffic control, radar and parked helicopters.
No longer seen as mere nuisance, weaponised drones have the ability to drop bombs, fire missiles and crash armed UAVs into the target.
The Unmanned Aerial Systems’ (UAS) market in the country is pegged at $866 million, and globally it’s estimated to be $21.47 billion. With double-quick alterations now possible on the drone structure, besides reinforced payload technology and shrinking of various elements, the threat level is huge and the task is challenging. The sheer number of the UAS, their different sizes, flight characteristics, capabilities, performance parameters, mission and vulnerabilities, make it difficult for India to overcome this challenge.
Ever since the Coronavirus outbreak at the end of 2019, the Indian forces have recorded close to a hundred sightings on India’s western borders - from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat. To make matters worse, these drones have been sighted in the eastern region which is impacted by the Maoist extremism.
Is India’s anti-rogue drone infrastructure battle-ready?
The attack has shifted the focus to the glaring gaps in India’s border security. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on developing anti-drone 'Swadeshi' technology to secure the border areas and foil any terrorist attempts.
While the national security council secretariat (NSC), which advises the PMO on national security and strategic interests, has been conscious of the threat posed by terror drones to Indian security for quite a few years, the process to acquire technologies to counter the threat is quite tedious and cumbersome. Till date, only a request for information (RFI) has been floated for acquisition of anti-drone technologies.
India only has a limited number of anti-drone technology makers, which include DRDO, Bharat Electronics Limited as government undertakings, among others, with Zen Technologies and ACSG Corp active as private entities.
A large-scale, inclusive public-private-partnership (PPP), according to several experts, should be the way forward.
Space for private players
In early July, immediately after the attack on the base in Jammu, the BSF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), launched BSF Hi-tech Undertaking for Maximising Innovation (BHUMI) to find suitable systems to detect and destroy drones and tunnels with the help from Indian companies. At the moment, BSF is exploring a pool of 500 private Indian companies to find solutions. The initiative is part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.
Anti-Drone System from Zen Technologies works on drone detection, Classification and tracking on passive surveillance, camera sensors and neutralization of the threat through jamming the Drone communication. ACSG Corp., a critical infrastructure protection company, is also building relevant technology. Its high-powered jammers, the company has claimed, can tackle multilayered threatsat once.
Major Vijay, the spokesperson of ACSG Corp pointed out that “a 360-degree advanced radar system can track intruding drones from a 2-km range, thereby reducing and eradicating the perceived threat even before it makes an impact.”
These companies are also expected to help in finding communication solutions at places where there is no network, besides detecting unauthorised communications in dead zones.
Way forward – Indigenous or foreign technology?
The existing counter-drone technology is restricted, and largely sourced and licensed from developed countries. This is primarily because there is very little trust in Indian technology.
Historically, India has been meeting its requirements from Israel and the US. But this trend is changing, as it should, with the Government putting emphasis on technology developed by domestic players. There’s enough and more potential at home and the Government is beginning to lay emphasis on the same.
Case in point? The IAF recently placed an order worth Rs 155 crore for anti-drone platforms or Counter Unarmed Aircraft System (CUAS). The contract was given to the Hyderabad-based Zen Technologies.
Keeping with the ‘make in India’ philosophy, the Indian armed forces have already approved contracts to Indian companies for making anti-drone systems that is worth over Rs 300 crores.
Can India become a counter-drone technology export hub? The answer is simple. Yes, however, only if more private companies are brought onboard to tackle the issue.
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Apple’s all-new MacBook Pros have been available for less than a week, so you may be surprised to hear that these impressive machines are already 10% off at certain retailers – an excellent deal ahead of Black Friday.
We’ve spent some time with the new 14-inch MacBook Pro, and we’re confident it's the best laptop for creative professionals you can buy right now. The new silicon ensures you’ll get incredible performance, and thankfully it doesn’t come at the expense of battery life.
If you want to snag one of these powerhouse laptops at 10% off, keep in mind that they’ll only be available at this price until this Wednesday, November 3. If you’re not sure which laptop is right for you, we’ve laid out the options below.
If Apple’s 13-inch MacBooks are too small for you, and the 16-inch options are too big, then this 14-inch laptop should be just right. It’s also the best screen we’ve seen on a laptop, with a Liquid Retina XDR display using mini-LED tech. We’re also happy to report it has a great selection of ports, so it’s functional as well as being beautiful to look at. The grey version is AU$300 off at Amazon, while both grey and silver are AU$300 off at The Good Guys.
This MacBook Pro is much the same as the 14-inch option above, except here you’re getting a 16-inch display (which is also backlit by mini-LEDs). Another difference is that this 16-inch version uses a 10-core M1 Pro CPU, while the smaller MacBook has an 8-core CPU. Overall, you can expect an extra kick in performance. Amazon has this laptop available in grey and silver, or you can buy from The Good Guys at the same price.
If you want an elite laptop for photo, video or sound editing (and have the cash to spare) this version of the 16-inch MacBook Pro has beefy specs to fit your needs. This Apple M1 Max CPU has 10 cores, and is working alongside 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, so you can expect super-speedy performance. This AU$525 discount is currently available from The Good Guys in either grey or silver, while Amazon is temporarily out of stock.
Full-version software for APC magazine readers (for a limited time only)
December 2021 - Issue 500
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 01/11/21 to 19/12/21
Ashampoo WinOptimizer 18
(Image credit: Ashampoo )
Ashampoo WinOptimizer 18 makes Windows PCs faster, cleaner and safer. The built-in cleaners are among the most popular features and safely remove web browsing traces, junk files and installation leftovers to free up valuable disk space. AntiSpy and Privacy Control put a muzzle on Windows telemetry broadcasts and protect your privacy. Three automatic modules reduce clutter, speed up Windows startup times and program launches and optimise gaming performance.
For better system performance and PC stability, WinOptimizer also fixes Registry errors, removes broken shortcuts and disables unnecessary background processes and Autostart entries. Several analysis tools that display detailed information about installed hard and software and that track down resource hogs have been included for better system transparency. The tweaking module allows for individual Windows customisation and will surely please PC tuning fans.
Ashampoo Snap 11 captures anything you see on your screen as screenshots or videos. Multiple post-processing features help you augment your screenshots with graphics, texts and effects to illustrate your point with a single image instead of long text descriptions. Whether you record videos, create your own tutorials or simply seek to share what you see with others, Ashampoo Snap 11's versatile tools have got you covered.
But despite its rich feature set, the program only takes centre stage when it's needed. Smart convenience functions, like multi-lingual text recognition, automatic numbering or in-place image editing, will save you considerable time and effort. Finished screenshots and videos can not only be stored locally but also sent or uploaded to cloud services for sharing. Video screen captures can be cut, merged and exported as individual episodes. Individual parts can also be instantly turned into
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 04/10/21 to 21/11/21
Secure-PDF
(Image credit: Ascomp)
The PDF format is used worldwide to distribute graphically processed documents. However, editing the documents is usually associated with high costs because good PDF editors are quite expensive. The cheaper alternatives on the other hand, lack the important functions to make PDFs secure, for example by encrypting, digitally signing or adding watermarks.
Secure-PDF puts an end to this: Encrypt your own or other people's PDF documents with up to 256 bit key strength (AES). Add a password to open it so that users can only view the encrypted document by entering the correct password.
Secure-PDF can set watermarks as well as the owner information of a PDF document – even without previous knowledge of how to use PDF documents!
In our daily lives with computers small and big disasters can always happen. It is very annoying, if for example a beautiful picture, an important document or favourite MP3 is lost or accidentally deleted.
In such a situation Ashampoo Undeleter is your salvation. With this program deleted files are recovered in next to no time.
So, if you accidentally deleted your favourite song from your PC, this isn’t a disaster any more. Just use the effective search function of the Ashampoo Undeleter and have the program generate a list with all deleted files. In such a list even the condition of the files is displayed. This shows whether the files can be recovered completely, partly or not at all. Then you can recover your favourite song in your desired location with just one click.
Experience maximum safety with Ashampoo Backup Pro 14! Because this backup software constantly checks itself and even the storage medium upon which the backups are stored. Due to the automatic verification, backup mistakes are practically ruled out! The new backup engine has been tested and checked severely and optimised in intensive cooperation with the support service and numerous clients. The internet backup by cloud services has been widely re-programmed – to your personal advantage! It has never been so easy, simple and performant to backup into the cloud! Exploit the most secure, most compatible and most comfortable Ashampoo Backup of all times!
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 06/09/21 to 24/10/21
Ascomp F-Rename
(Image credit: Ascomp )
DSC813913091. JPG, 20110920.AVI, DL_MUSICFILE. MP3 – every computer user knows them: meaningless file names, generated by the digital camera, smartphone or download manager.
F-Rename brings light into the data dark and renames any number of files according to freely selectable patterns. It's easy to apply different pre-made renaming patterns or individual patterns. Number or date entire file collections and name your MP3 files with just a few mouse clicks based on ID3 tags.
The individual renaming function offers the highest possible flexibility. Not only does it allow you to use many tags, but it also helps to convert, shorten, and partially or completely replace existing file names. The preview and log features ensure that you never lose track of your valuable data.
Ashampoo Photo Card 2 turns your photos into elegant greeting cards, fast and easy. Show your loved ones you care and send your own very personal greetings. Select photo or take a webcam snapshot, choose a template, edit text, send. It's the quickest way possible.
Christmas, wedding or birthday, Ashampoo Photo Card 2 comes with numerous thematic templates for every occasion. Combine that with the integrated clipart library and you get nearly unlimited design combinations.
Adjust size, brightness, contrast or colour saturation settings directly from within the application, no extra tools required. You can also mirror, flip and correct the perspective of your photos. In a hurry? Use one-click image optimisation to bring your photos into shape.
Today, there are numerous ways to share your images online. However, what should be the simplest way still remains a pain – sharing images through email. Batches of images have to be manually resized, trimmed and often split up into several mails to meet email provider constraints.
Ashampoo Photo Mailer does all the trimming and resizing for you and turns photo sharing through email into a joyful experience. You provide the photos, Ashampoo Photo Mailer does the rest! Ashampoo Photo Mailer uses a straightforward user-interface that is built around a rapid step-by-step process. Setting up existing email accounts takes only a name, email address and password. The program automatically recognises common email providers and adds the required server settings.
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 09/08/21 to 26/09/21
ASCOMP PDF Conversa
(Image credit: ASCOMP )
Whether you want to convert PDF documents into a Word format DOC/RTF or convert Word documents into PDF - PDF Conversa provides the necessary tools.
PDF to Word: Convert existing PDF files into the Word file format DOC or RTF in no time at all. The graphics, tables and fonts associated with the basic layout remain unchanged. Password-protected documents can be easily converted and further processed in Word. Send documents in the format you desire or edit existing documents in your preferred file format. PDF Conversa processes the conversion with just one click.
What will your finished house look like? Ashampoo Home Desig includes everything from doors, windows, balconies and carports to sanitary and electrical installations including photovoltaic elements. Missing an item? Simply import it. Furnish your house and turn your virtual model into a lifelike piece of architecture with one of the most comfortable home design software on the market!
Ashampoo Home Design supports loading, editing and saving of various new 3D object formats. This gives you access to millions of 3D objects! Simply import them and add them to your designs! With support for SketchUp or Collada models, you can now instantly use numerous generic and brand-specific models.
Looking for ways to enjoy surround sound through your PC headphones? Ashampoo Soundstage Pro 2020 makes it possible. The software converts existing 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 instantly into binaural stereo and sends it to your headphones so you can get a true surround experience without expensive hardware.
Whether your watching movies, listen to music or play 3D games, Ashampoo Soundstage Pro 2020 provides a nuanced audio experience comparable to that of a genuine surround sound system, but with customisable room settings for subtle fine-tuning. In addition, built-in presets for several headphones provide optimal settings instantly for popular models.
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 12/07/21 to 29/08/21
Audials Music Tube 2021
(Image credit: Audials )
Each video from YouTube can now be saved as a video file or audio track using Audials Music Tube. Lyrics and ID3 tags are added automatically. Audials Music Tube searches YouTube to deliver the highest quality music to you, legally and at lightning speed! Singles, albums or the complete discographies of your stars can be obtained.
Audials delivers the latest charts every week: Rock, Pop, Music Video, Dance, US Single, 80s or the US Music Video Charts. Listen to each song or download it in seconds. This also works for several songs or even the entire list.
With Image Former you can get your pictures in top shape in no time at all: select any number of pictures, define actions and start conversion. Whether you want to rotate images, crop edges or correct colours, Image Former automatically applies the changes you want to all selected images. The Windows tool also has full control of enlarging or reducing the size and brings your image files into the desired format quickly and easily.
Speaking of format: Image Former changes the file format of your images on request, for example to JPEG, PNG, BMP and GIF. Even PDF and PSD are available in both input and output formats.
Ashampoo WinOptimizer 2021 is a customisable Windows cleaner and accelerator. You decide which applications and services auto-run with Windows. This helps you free up memory and speed up startup times. Privacy protection is another focus of the program, with the ability to significantly limit telemetry and data collection, a godsend especially for Windows 10 users! Ashampoo WinOptimizer 2021 includes a total of 23 modules to boost and customise Windows systems.
The program also analyses your OS and hardware, wipes or encrypts data and helps with file recovery. User rights and power scheme management is also included here.
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 14/06/21 to 01/08/21
ASCOMP Photo Anonymizer
(Image credit: Ashampoo )
Often photos taken with a smartphone or digital camera contain personal information that not only disclose on the location and time of the recording, but can also hold other sensitive information. In so-called meta-tags, in addition to the GPS location, information about the recording device and even the photographer can be stored.
Photo Anonymizer helps you maintain your anonymity: Remove unclaimed metadata from your image files with just a few clicks! The free Windows software supports all common metadata standards, such as EXIF, DICOM, IPTC and XMP.
Did you know that Internet browsers often store the source of an image download in the respective file and thus can be traced for years to come, from which Internet address an image was downloaded? With Photo Anonymizer you can also completely remove these "alternate data streams"! Make sure that third parties no longer receive any information about which page you downloaded an image from!
Ashampoo Photo Optimizer 7 auto-optimises photos at the click of a button. Through extensive image analysis, weak points such as incorrect exposure, lack of contrast or incorrect colouring are detected and immediately fixed. Photos can be processed individually or in batches. Precision work can also be done: users can straighten image horizons, watermark images or apply numerous effects. Even minor blemishes such as red eyes, skin impurities or spots can easily be removed with this image editing software.
Furthermore, the highly effective built-in colour correction can quickly add an individual note to images or that classic realistic look. Free image rotation, cropping or straightening is also possible with ease. In addition, contrast, saturation and many other image aspects are adjustable through sliders with live previews for instant visual feedback. And thanks to the program's logical structure, user's don't need any training time as all functions are always no more than two clicks away. New in the program are the optimised interface, automatic white balancing, contrast stretching and completely revised image auto-optimisation technology.
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 17/05/21 to 04/07/21
Ashampoo Backup 2021
(Image credit: Ashampoo )
Ashampoo Backup 2021 backs up and restores entire disk partitions, including bootable Windows installations, in just a few clicks. Incremental auto-updates ensure backup files are always up-to-date and prevent data loss. The user interface was designed with simplicity in mind and is intuitively usably by anyone. Backups are always restorable, even in the event of highly corrupt or ransomware-infested systems, thanks to a built-in rescue feature that requires no technical knowledge. This backup software is self-explanatory and streamlined to cover the most essential features so there is no learning curve.
Ashampoo Snap 10 captures your screen contents as images and videos. Various post-processing tools that include graphical elements, symbols and effects help you convey lots of information through a single image. Whether you're writing documentation and tutorials or you simply need to share what you've just seen on your screen with others - Ashampoo Snap 10 makes it possible fast. Editing and creating content is easy, e.g. with the help of multi-lingual text recognition, automatic numbering and task-driven image editing. Finished images and videos can easily be saved locally, emailed or uploaded to the cloud.
The problem: PDF files and images from a scanned paper document contain text that cannot be copied or edited. However, manual typing is not possible due to the size of the document and the high time involved. The solution: Text-R! The software also recognises text in PDF files and images that immediately convert it into an editable document for any user level. The text can be saved in anew editable PDF or RTF document (Word). Formatting stays close to the original, so in most cases no post-processing is required.
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 15/4/21 to 2/6/21
Ashampoo Burning Studio 2021
(Image credit: Ashampoo)
Ashampoo Burning Studio 2021 is a powerful disc burning software for CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs. The software quickly burns files, audio and video to all recordable disc types but also specialised media such as BDXL or M-Disc. The built-in disc ripping auto-detects track names and easily turns audio files into custom audio discs complete with individually designed covers and inlays. Playlists can be auto-generated during ripping for easy playback in the desired song order. The program can also finalise discs to make them playable on older retail players or car radios. Built-in disc spanning automatically spreads data across multiple volumes if it can't fit on a single disc. This makes it easy to burn entire photo, document or song collections to disc.
Ashampoo Music Studio 2020 is powerful versatile music software to edit, cut and burn audio files. Audio disc ripping happens quickly and missing track information is filled in automatically based on an online database. Files can be burned or converted into different audio formats. The integrated audio editor enables users to modify or remove individual passages and allows them to split up tracks, e.g. MP3s, into individual parts, or recombine them with in-place snapping. Organising music and sound collections is another core strength of Ashampoo Music Studio 2020. Metadata can be modified, songs normalised, and tracks renamed based on customisable naming schemes. Mix Tape helps users create song mixes with cross-fading or custom pauses.
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 22/03/21 to 09/05/21
Ashampoo UnInstaller 9
(Image credit: Future)
Ashampoo UnInstaller 9 makes installing, testing and fully uninstalling software a breeze. Four dedicated deletion methods provide a cleaner system that Windows-default uninstallation facilities. Even software sideloaded through nested setups poses no problem. Ashampoo UnInstaller 9 takes the fear out of SPAM software or spyware, whether full-fledged application or browser plugin. The program follows a four-way strategy with full installation logging as method of choice. This way, all system modifications, including files and Registry keys, are tracked and fully reversible. Installations not logged by the program are still easily removable, thanks to Deep Cleaning technology and dedicated application profiles.
The compact but powerful Disk-Space-Explorer 2018 provides a detailed overview of file distribution and disk space consumption. Unlike Windows Explorer, Disk-Space-Explorer 2018 lists results based on file types and helps quickly locate potential resource hogs. The file type filters are customisable making it easy to scan drives for specific files, e.g. video files or documents. Bar and pie charts provide visual clues as to to the percentage of disk space usage for each file type. For a more in-depth view, user can quickly navigate through folders and customise existing file type filters or create their own. With Disk-Space-Explorer 2018, users can finally find out exactly how much space their photos, songs, videos or any other files really take up.
Please note that these exclusive downloads will only be available for a limited time, from 22/2/21 to 11/04/21
ASCOMP Cleaning Suite
(Image credit: ASCOMP)
If your system boots up more and more slowly, then it is high time for a thorough system clean! But what data can be deleted without risk, or still needed for the smooth system and program flow? Cleaning Suite has the answer! A total of six helpers analyse your system and enable deep cleaning operations. For example, you can delete temporary files, clean browser histories, caches, and cookies from all popular Internet browsers, and prevent installed applications and tools from starting automatically at system startup.
StartUpStar eliminates startup irritants! It’s an almost universal problem on Windows PCs — unneeded programs that run on startup, adding extraneous time to the boot process. StartUpStar from Abelssoft has something to say about this. The program presents a list of startup items, and then lets you decide which ones to keep or remove. The software works with 64-bit startup programs, includes items from the Windows Task Scheduler and allows the user to specify delayed starts for individual programs. Far too many Windows programs are so bold to think that they’re indispensable, and should be started with every boot, without even asking the user. If nothing is done to prevent it, they’ll load with every Windows startup, whether they’re needed or not. It's time to take control.
In this milestone issue 500 of APC, we look back at the key moments in PC history, and how APC shared it with our readers. This feature includes perspectives of many people that have worked on APC over the years and is a fascinating journey through the ages of the PC.
APC’s readers are our heartbeat, and we turn the spotlight on the community, sharing their passion for the PC, and how APC was there with them, sparking their enthusiasm.
Our other major features in APC 500 celebrate the computer of the past – and future. We look back to the first computers of World War 2, all the way through to the latest supercomputers. In our second main feature we look to the future and reveal the key new techs coming to your PC soon to boost speed and usability.
This is a very special issue of APC and is one not to be missed!
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Apple’s dedicated virtual reality device is all but confirmed at this point. Unlike the company's upcoming Apple Glasses, the Apple VR headset will focus less on augmented reality and is expected to arrive slightly sooner.
Codenamed N301, Apple's VR headset is likely to be a less-widespread product than its successor. Both products have allegedly been hit with multiple hurdles throughout their development, but the N301 will hopefully begin to recuperate costs while work on the company's AR glasses continues.
For now, though, here’s everything we know about the Apple VR headset, as well as all the features we hope to see when it launches.
Latest news
We're expecting this device to be a high-spec, premium-level device that sounds as though it's going to launch at some point in 2022, according to the latest rumors.
Cut to the chase
What is it? A dedicated VR headset from Apple
When will it release? Expected 2022, maybe later
How much is it? Estimated $3,000 / £2,200, AU$3,900
(Image credit: Unsplash/Julian O'hayon)
Apple VR headset release date and price
Apple’s first headset is rumored to be released in the first quarter of 2022, according to Bloomberg sources. These same sources also claimed the VR device has faced multiple development challenges, so it’s possible this suspected date could be pushed back further if more issues arise.
Mark Gurman (a leaker with a good track record for Apple information) has also said to expect this headset in 2022, and claimed that it'll be pricey – it's probably going to have some premium-level specs.
Indeed, while a price hasn’t yet been confirmed, a report by The Information has the Apple VR headset priced at an eye-watering $3,000.
This estimate is somewhat corroborated by Bloomberg, whose sources have said Apple expects the VR headset to sell roughly one unit per store per day. These figures match up with the approximate sales of the $5,999 Mac Pro Desktop.
Apple VR headset rumors and leaks
This design was created by The Information based on accounts of what Apple's VR headset looks like(Image credit: The Information)
Extremely lightweight
According to new rumors, the Apple VR headset could weigh just 150 grams. That's less than the combined weight of the Air Pod Max and its case, or the weight of an iPhone 12. This would also make Apple's headset lighter than the Oculus Quest 2.
How Apple hopes to pull this off while also providing enough tech and power to provide a fulfilling experience remains to be seen. It's possible that this less heavy design won't include all the features listed below (like 8K screens) and could instead use the company's recently patented hologram tech.
Dual 8K screens
One feature that seems almost certain given the plethora of leaks is the VR headset’s dual 8K displays. At 7680 x 4320 resolution, that’s four times as many pixels as a 4K screen and significantly more pixels than any other commercially available device.
For comparison, the Valve Index VR headset uses two 1440 x 1600 pixel displays. Take this information with a pinch of salt, though, as it's merely based on leaks, but a lot of the sources we've heard from suggest this is the case.
For those who might be worried about those 8K screens eating up battery life and requiring huge processors, Apple apparently has a plan, based on rumors we've heard. Eye-tracking software in the headset is designed to follow where the user is looking and only activate that portion of the screen at the full 8K resolution.
Other areas of the screen will allegedly become more blurred, to save on processing power, using a trick called foveated rendering.
This tool is great for AR, allowing devices to more accurately map virtual constructs onto real-life objects, but could also be used with VR to map out a room and determine the safe space surrounding a user.
Wearable controller
One interesting feature that could be coming to the Apple VR headset is a wearable controller that can track finger movements. A new patent was filed for a "Self-Mixing Interferometry-Based Gesture Input System" that tracks a user's hand movements using rings attached to the thumb and index finger.
The patent goes onto say this tracking would "provide input to an AR, VR, or MR application.“ The talk of AR and MR could mean that this device is intended for Apple's AR headset, as well. Potentially, this controller would be an optional peripheral – like the Apple Pencil – that's released at a later date and could be used across Apple's different headsets.
A second patent suggests you might also get a haptic sock, but it's yet to be seen if this would work as a controller, or indeed will even get made at all.
The patent refers to both finger gestures and visual touch detection, with figure images outlining how the system might work.
(Image credit: US Trademark and Patent Office)
In the above image, for example, a diagram illustrates a potential system setup for generating a 3D model of a fingertip using a combination of cameras and depth sensors. Accompanying text also references contour alignment-based algorithms that could be used to enable hand tracking.
While this approach to finger tracking may be new, the actual result sounds similar to the tracking software we’ve seen in existing VR headsets, like the Oculus Quest 2.
Invisible markers on Apple devices
We've also heard mutterings of invisible markers that would let a mixed reality headset better interact with a smartphone.
A freshly-awarded patent describes how AR glasses may struggle to identify a smartphone in their field of view, and how it differs from other displays – say a laptop or TV display. This would make it difficult for the two devices to interact effectively, with AR information that should be triggered by and associated with a mobile device not appearing. The same principles, we'd assume, would apply to a VR headset.
The solution, then, would potentially be to place on the phone (or Apple Watch, or any other accessory for that matter) visual markers that include "spectral reflectance codes." These would make use of retroreflective materials, photoluminescent materials and thin-film interference filter layers, that could be identified by the headset, but would be near-invisible on the device to a user. These markers could then tell the headset information relating to shape, orientation, size and location in the real world.
What we want to see
(Image credit: Unsplash/ Xiong Yan)
Wireless headset
Previous rumors about the VR headset had suggested that it would be wireless, though these came just three years ago. The Information’s alleged design in the image above does maintain this look, but with many more months ahead before release, the design of the headset is still subject to change.
While wireless headsets like the Oculus Quest 2 might lose something in performance to the PC-powered alternatives such as the Valve Index, the freedom of movement and improved immersion of a wireless device are a massive benefit if they can be included.
If Apple’s headset is indeed sporting two 8K screens, it may need quite a lot of power pumped into its shell, so our wireless dreams may not become reality.
As light as a feather
Apple’s VR headset will have some weight to it, but we’re hoping it isn’t too much of a strain on a user’s neck. Given how powerful the thing sounds, such as having those high-resolution screens, there’s reason to worry about the weight we’ll be carrying around on our heads.
Those rumors of a lightweight device listed above are promising, but we're still hoping Apple’s design team is able to devise a way to keep the VR headset as light as possible, or at least distribute the weight to make wearing it comfortable.
Haptic controllers
Haptic feedback has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, and we hope Apple’s team takes note of the success of the Valve Index and the PS5’s DualSense controller in this department. While it is then on software designers to implement haptic feedback effectively, having the hardware there will allow them the option to create more lifelike experiences.
While we've already detailed potentially-conflicting reports of both haptic fingertips and completely-virtual finger tracking on the headset, we're hoping that, whichever system Apple decides to pursue, this doesn't come at the expense of immersion.
While the Samsung Galaxy S21 range was unveiled in early 2021, there's more to come: it seems certain that Samsung will follow the initial trio up with a Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (or Galaxy S21 Fan Edition as it might be called) in the coming months.
What makes us so certain is that Samsung itself has accidentally mentioned the phone by name – although on the other hand there have also been hints that the phone is in danger of being canceled.
It didn't show up at the Samsung Unpacked October 2021 event, and we're still waiting for it to break cover. Most of the smart money now seems to be on it making an appearance at some point during January 2022.
The Galaxy S21 FE would be a cheaper, lower end alternative to the S21, much as the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is to the Samsung Galaxy S20. However, the reduction in cost and specs are both likely to be minimal, with the S21 Fan Edition still likely to be fairly high-end – and priced accordingly.
The news and rumors around this phone continue to roll in rapidly – we've covered all the best ones below, and come up with a list of things we want from the Samsung Galaxy S21 Fan Edition, along with our best educated guesses at the release date and price.
Latest News
After rumors that Samsung had abandoned the Galaxy S21 FE, it now appears that the phone will be launched after all – support documents for the device have started appearing online. Expect to see it in January.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE: cut to the chase
What is it? A cheaper take on the Samsung Galaxy S21
When is it out? January 2022 looks likely
How much will it cost? A lot - but less than most flagships
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE release date and price
For a long time we thought the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE was sure to land, even though there has only been one Fan Edition model so far. As SamMobile reported, the company said it would launch a new one every year.
There have been doubts though: a report that the phone may have been canceled due to the global chipset shortage, a Samsung official saying that the phone was under review, and Samsung removing support pages for the Galaxy S21 FE from its websites. Those documents have since reappeared.
The S20 FE launched in August, so it's clear that the S21 FE is way overdue at this point, but we're hopeful that it's still coming. Predictions of a launch in October haven't been accurate, but we've seen predicted launch dates come and go before.
A recent leak asserts that the Galaxy S21 FE is indeed January, potentially even taking the release window of the Samsung Galaxy S22 (a second source has now backed that up). In short, we're not really sure what's going on with it right now.
The price is something that we don’t have much idea of either, but it may have a launch price in line with the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, which cost $699 / £699 / AU$1,149 for a 5G model, or £599 / AU$999 for a 4G one (with this version not being available in the US).
If anything though the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE might be cheaper than its predecessor, as the Samsung Galaxy S21 has a lower launch price than the Galaxy S20 did.
Design and display
A listing for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE on a Chinese certification database has revealed that the phone likely has a 6.4-inch 1080 x 2340 Super AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and an in-screen fingerprint scanner - specs that are very similar to the S20 FE. The phone apparently also has an IP68 rating, meaning it's dust and water resistant.
One other rumor has mentioned a 1080 x 2009 resolution though, which is strange. At the moment, the 1080 x 2340 option seems more likely, as it more closely matches the S21.
As for the design, numerous leaks have now shown us the possible appearance of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, starting off with one from reputable tipster @OnLeaks, and we've embedded one of their tweets below.
And here comes your very first and early look at the #Samsung #GalaxyS21FE! #VoiceCommunity #OnlyOnVoice@VoiceHQ⭕️exclusive 👉🏻 https://t.co/vk8kVJ3Hal pic.twitter.com/Sh3EoyKrfyApril 10, 2021
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The upcoming phone will apparently be slightly taller and slightly wider than the main Galaxy S21, with a 6.4-inch display rather than a 6.2-inch one. The rear camera bump, meanwhile, will supposedly be connected to the rear casing rather than the metal frame.
Since this leak, LetsGoDigital has shared unofficial renders based on leaked information, and they look very similar to those above, as you can see in the images below.
Note however that the colors chosen here aren't all rumored for the phone (more on which further down), they were simply chosen because they're "high-profile."
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: LetsGoDigital / Concept Creator)
Image 2 of 2
(Image credit: LetsGoDigital / Concept Creator)
There have been further leaks too: check out these renders (one of which we've embedded below) from seasoned tipster Evan Blass, which are based on details of the supposed dimensions and design of the Galaxy S21 FE.
(Image credit: Evan Blass)
Since then, Blass has returned with updated renders, showing the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE in green, white, blue, violet and grey, which you can see below.
The shades are slightly different to in his previous leak, and probably more accurate, but the design is much the same.
While we can't guarantee that the final phone will look exactly like this, these pictures seem likely to be close to the mark – and it seems as though we're going to get a lot of colors to pick from as well.
A certification listing for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE mentioned a 12MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide one, and an 8MP telephoto one with 3x optical zoom, along with a 32MP selfie camera.
We've also previously heard that it will reportedly have a 32MP front-facing camera, and from the renders above it looks to have a triple-lens rear camera, so that matches what we've heard.
When it comes to battery capacity, one tipster says there'll be a 4,500mAh battery installed in the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE, beating the 4,000mAh capacity battery in the regular Galaxy S21.
It could also charge faster than any other S21 model, with a certification listing pointing to 45W charging - even the Galaxy S21 Ultra only supports 25W, so that would be an impressive spec.
We've also seen both that battery size and charging speed mentioned a second time, with wireless charging also mentioned.
That said, the phone almost certainly won't come with a charger, as a leaked user manual for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE says that wall chargers are sold separately. This manual does mention both wireless and reverse wireless charging though.
Specs and features
Some sources claim that a phone with the model number SM-G990B is in development, and it's believed that might be the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE. At the very least the model number would seem to place it in the Galaxy S21 range.
On its own that doesn't tell us much, but that model number has also now been spotted in a benchmark, where a Snapdragon 888 chipset, 6GB of RAM and Android 11 are also mentioned.
A similar model number (SM-G990U) was also spotted on the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) database, with mention of the same chipset.
In another benchmark though we've seen the Exynos 2100 mentioned, alongside 8GB of RAM. So it's possible the Galaxy S21 FE will have a different chipset in different regions, as Samsung does that with some of its phones.
Both of those chipsets are very powerful though, and are currently among the best you can get in a smartphone.
A multi-chipset approach may work, as a report suggests Samsung is going to use both its own Exynos, and Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets in order to avoid further release date delays. If true, we'll likely see the Snapdragon version of the phone in the US and Asia, and Exynos versions elsewhere - the latter will probably be slightly weaker than the Qualcomm counterpart.
What we want to see
We were moderately impressed by the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, but there are a few key improvements we’d like to see from the S21 FE.
1. A glass back
The S20 Fan Edition has a plastic back(Image credit: Future)
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition has a fairly premium price but its ‘Glasstic’ back (plastic that’s designed to feel like glass) is anything but.
This was one of our biggest disappointments with the phone, and we really want to see Samsung up the quality of materials for the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition. Either that or lower the price, or better yet both.
However, since we made this wish Samsung launched the Galaxy S21 with a Glasstic back, and it seems unlikely that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE will get a more premium rear than that phone.
2. A lower price
As noted above, the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is quite an expensive phone, and that’s despite being the baby of the Galaxy S20 range.
While the specs and features go some way towards justifying the price (plastic back notwithstanding), the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE could certainly stand out more if it were a bit more affordable.
This may way well come to pass, given that the rest of the Galaxy S21 range is cheaper than the Galaxy S20 range.
3. A brighter screen
(Image credit: Future)
We were generally quite impressed by the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition’s screen, but one aspect that could use some improvement is its brightness.
In our review we noted that it struggled in direct sunlight, and that the automatic brightness sometimes felt dimmer than it should. So for the Samsung Galaxy S21 Fan Edition we want both a higher maximum brightness and improvements to the auto brightness mode.
4. Better battery life
While the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition has a 4,500mAh battery, we found that it didn’t actually last very long, and often struggling to even reach a full day before it needed charging again.
That’s just not good enough, especially when you consider that over time the battery will begin to wear out and become even more problematic, so we want big improvements here for the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.
4,500mAh isn’t actually a bad size, so it’s likely poor optimization that’s at fault, but whether through a bigger battery or improvements elsewhere, we want to be able to comfortably get a day of life from the Samsung Galaxy S21 Fan Edition at an absolute minimum.
5. Faster charging
Another issue we have with the battery in the Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is its charging speed.
At 25W (or 15W for wireless charging) it’s not terrible, but when even the substantially cheaper OnePlus Nord can manage 30W charging, and some phones are up to 65W or higher, we really want increased charging power from the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE.
