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Tech Wrap July 3: OPPO Reno 14 series, Vivo X Fold5, Google Pixel 6a update
BS Tech New Delhi
OPPO has unveiled its Reno 14 series in India, which includes the Reno 14 and Reno 14 Pro models. Both phones come equipped with MediaTek Dimensity chipsets and highlight AI-centric functionalities, along with a 50MP main camera. Additionally, the Pad SE tablet has been introduced alongside the new phones, starting at Rs 13,999.
Vivo has announced that it will release two new smartphones in India on July 14—the X Fold 5 and the X200 FE. These devices represent the brand's latest book-style foldable and the first 'FE' version in its X-series lineup. Both feature camera systems developed in collaboration with German optics firm Zeiss.
Beginning July 8, Google will roll out an Android 16 update for all Pixel 6a users to address concerns related to battery overheating. As per an update on the Pixel support page, units affected by this issue will experience reduced battery life and slower charging speeds following the mandatory patch.
Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked event is scheduled for July 9, where the company is expected to introduce its latest foldable phones, including the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Samsung was the pioneer in bringing foldable smartphones to Indian consumers in 2019. Although the original device didn't carry the 'Galaxy Z' label, it set the stage for the Galaxy Z Fold series.
A new privacy feature in Apple's iOS 26 beta will reportedly enable FaceTime to freeze video calls if nudity is detected. As noted by 9to5Mac, this tool is part of Apple's Communication Safety suite and is intended to help filter out inappropriate visuals during video calls.
Honor has debuted the Magic V5 foldable smartphone in China, touting it as the slimmest foldable device currently available. The phone measures 8.8mm when folded and just 4.1mm when unfolded, though these dimensions apply only to the Warm White variant. Other color options, including Black, Ivory White, Dawn Gold, and Reddish Brown, measure 9mm when folded.
During the launch event for Phone 3 and Headphone 1, Nothing CEO Carl Pei hinted at the arrival of Nothing OS 4.0, which is based on Android 16. He said the update is expected to roll out in autumn, likely between September and November.
Vivo is preparing to bring its X200 FE to the Indian market. While the official launch date remains unconfirmed, the company has disclosed major specs, including the MediaTek D9300+ processor, camera configuration, and battery size. Already released in places like Taiwan, the device will join Vivo's X200 and X200 Pro flagships. An Ultra variant is also available but remains exclusive to China.
In an unexpected move, Rockstar Games has released a new update for Red Dead Online, adding four fresh missions. This came as a surprise after the developer had previously indicated back in 2022 that major updates for the game were unlikely, as its focus shifted toward developing Grand Theft Auto 6. The announcement was made via a blog post on July 1.
Apple has already rolled out a variety of new products in 2025, such as the iPhone 16e, M4 MacBook Air, revamped Mac Studio, and updated iPads. However, its roadmap for the year is still extensive, with upcoming releases including the iPhone 17 lineup, Macs and iPads powered by M5 chips, and new Apple Watches and AirPods.
CERT-In has issued a critical alert for users of Bluetooth-enabled audio devices such as TWS earbuds, headphones, and speakers. The advisory warns that devices using Airoha SoCs are vulnerable to hacking. This flaw could let attackers listen to nearby conversations, control calls, view call logs and contact details, or potentially gain full access to the device.
The Reno 14 Pro from OPPO impresses with a sleek build, high-resolution screen, and flexible camera setup. It particularly excels in content creation thanks to 4K video capture, telephoto zoom, and built-in editing capabilities. A spacious screen and solid battery life further add to the experience. That said, it isn't optimized for heavy gaming, and the lack of expandable storage may be a drawback for users handling large 4K files. Nonetheless, it's a great option for visual content creators who prioritize design and performance.
On June 28, Bihar marked a milestone by becoming the first Indian state to implement mobile-based e-voting during local elections. This effort was powered by two separate apps—developed by the Bihar State Election Commission and Hyderabad's C-DAC—and incorporated facial recognition technology developed by Chennai-based startup FaceTagr.
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India.com
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- India.com
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an hour ago
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Chipmaker Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel Wall Street rallied to record highs Thursday, as chip-maker Nvidia rose closer to a $4 trillion valuation and a surprisingly strong U.S. jobs report cheered investors, who shrugged off dimming chances for a U.S. interest rate cut next S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs, notching a third week of gains. The Dow closed up 0.41%, near its own rose 1.3%, putting its market capitalization at $3.89 trillion. The company is close to overtaking Apple and becoming the world's most valuable company in volume was light in a shorter session on the eve of Friday's U.S. Independence Day holiday."We are seeing a real bout of irrational exuberance; the stock market is very biased towards optimism," said Kristina Hooper, Chief Market Strategist at Man Group in New York."But there's some basis for it. I think there is some level of relief because the jobs report was not as weak as it could have been."The rally has been fueled by retail investors, who are largely ignoring the inflationary pressure on the horizon, uncertainty around tariffs and "are focused on the tangible, which is today's jobs report," she S&P 500 gained 51.94 points, or 0.83%, to 6,279.36 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 207.97 points, or 1.02%, to 20,601.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 344.11 points, or 0.77%, to 44, showed nonfarm payrolls increased by 147,000 jobs last month, 33% more than the 110,000 jobs forecasted by economists polled by Reuters. Unemployment fell to 4.1% last month, a better result than the 4.3% quickly priced out chances of an interest-rate cut in July, with the odds of a 25-basis-point reduction in September at 68%, according to CME Group's Fedwatch tool, down from 74% a week in the U.S. House of Representatives advanced President Donald Trump's massive tax-cut and spending bill toward a final yes-or-no vote, appearing to overcome internal party divisions over its legislation is expected to add $3.4 trillion to the nation's $36.2 trillion debt over the next decade, according to nonpartisan tax cuts and increased government spending can boost demand in the economy. This can add inflationary pressure, especially when the economy shows signs of strength such as the latest job report."Some data points like the job report are positive and charming, but if we just take a step back, the picture is not that great," said Alex Morris, CEO of F/m Investments, which manages $18 billion in Washington, the week, the S&P 500 gained 1.72%, the Nasdaq rose 1.62%, and the Dow climbed 2.3%. The Russell 2000 Small Cap index rose 3.41%."It's kind of perplexing," Morris said. "This feels like that last bull rush before all of the data really comes together." Tripadvisor climbed 16.7% after the Wall Street Journal reported activist investor Starboard Value had built a more than 9% stake in the online travel company. Datadog jumped 14.9% after the cloud security firm was set to replace Juniper Networks on the S&P closed early at 1 p.m. ET. Trading volume on U.S. exchanges was 10.85 billion shares, much lighter than the 17.82 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.
