New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) It’s no secret that smartphones are constantly evolving. Every smartphone brand across the globe invests heavily into their R&D to be able to innovate the next best phone for their users.

One important feature of these phones that has undergone major changes over the years is the camera. From a mere 0.1 MP in the first ever mobile phone camera, to the 200 MP smartphone cameras of today, camera technology has come a long way.

However, the latest innovation in camera technology has evolved further, with periscope cameras coming out as the shiny new feature in flagship phones. So as they grow in popularity, is it safe to assume that the desirability of a higher megapixel count in flagship phones is slowly dying?

It’s a longstanding myth amongst smartphone users that the higher the number of megapixels in their camera, the better will be the output of images it’ll produce. More MP doesn’t necessarily equate to higher resolution. Interestingly, cameras with fewer MPs can sometimes produce better quality images than those with a higher MP count.

When it comes to flagship-level smartphone cameras, the quality of the pixels is generally more crucial than their quantity in a camera sensor. The impact on image quality from the size and caliber of the camera's lens can be significant, often outweighing the effect of the sensor's MP count. Another key point to keep in mind is how the camera's image processor handles the photo data.

Many cameras are designed to auto-sharpen the image, which can sometimes make the picture quality worse, especially if it's already been hit by diffraction. So, it's not surprising to see a 100 MP mid-range phone camera producing lower quality photos than a 50 MP flagship-level camera.

The quality of a picture is influenced by a combination of hardware, software, and personal preferences. Understanding the workings of smartphone cameras, their individual components, and how their performance is measured can shed light on why megapixels aren't the sole determinant of camera quality. The f-stop value or aperture, which is the opening through which light reaches the sensor, is closely linked to the sensor size.

When it comes to zoom, most smartphone cameras typically offer Digital Zoom rather than Optical Zoom. While Optical Zoom involves actual lens movement, Digital Zoom relies on software algorithms to enlarge pixels. Image stabilisation in smartphones usually comes as Digital, which might result in minor video shakiness. In contrast, Optical Image Stabilisation, using small gyroscopes to move the camera lens, helps maintain image steadiness.

Until just last year, the main strategy for boosting image quality in premium-level smartphones was to ramp up the megapixel count. However, in the realm of high-end smartphones, the trend is now leaning more towards enhancing the overall image quality instead of just upping the number of pixels. Top smartphone brands are encouraging this by introducing the periscope camera in their newer frontrunners from this year.

Periscope camera technology improves zoom capabilities without making smartphones bulkier. It works like a submarine's periscope, bending light at a right angle, which allows for more lenses and power in a slim casing. Unlike conventional telephoto lenses that offer 2x or 3x zoom, periscope lenses deliver between 5x and 10x optical zoom without adding to the phone's thickness.

This enables capturing high-resolution photos of far-off subjects, leading to crisper images. Moreover, periscope cameras can produce high-quality pictures without needing to rely on a higher megapixel count.

This underscores the notion that spending money on unnecessary pixels is not cost-effective. It's wiser to invest in a flagship smartphone that has a camera with superior lens quality, a larger sensor, and a more efficient image processor, similar to what you'd find in a telephoto lens.

San Francisco, July 23 (IANS) Android 14 will reportedly support SMS via satellite feature on mobile phones soon, marking a significant advancement in mobile communication technology.

Based on a tweet by the Pixel #TeamPixel Twitter account, users will likely get satellite SMS support with Android 14 soon, reports Phone Arena.

"Satellite SMS, Android 14," it tweeted.

Users will be able to use their devices to send and receive SMS messages once the update is released, even in regions where cellular coverage is limited or unavailable.

Moreover, the tweet also mentioned that Pixel and Galaxy phones will be among the first Android models to have the hardware to support SMS via satellite.

"SMS Satellite will be added to Android, and requires appropriate hardware, it's up to the manufacturer then Pixel and Galaxy will be among the first to have it," Pixel #TeamPixel said.

The release of the final and stable version of Android 14 is just around the corner, with an estimated two to three weeks remaining before its launch.

However, the full scope of satellite support in smartphones remains uncertain.

Apple already supports the Emergency SOS via satellite feature.

With iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models, users can use Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services when they're out of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.

The feature had proven its life-saving potential by assisting in the rescue of those trapped in distant regions.

The Emergency SOS via satellite feature has helped rescue two people in a serious car crash in the US.

According to MacRumors, the incident occurred on the Angeles Forest Highway in the US state of California's Angeles National Forest, with a vehicle careening over the side of a mountain and falling approximately 300 feet into a remote canyon.

An iPhone 14 in the car detected the crash and sent the information to rescuers using Emergency SOS via Satellite as there was no cellular signal.

New Delhi, April 19 (IANSlife) Summer vacations mean a break from school, travelling, and extra play-time for kids. With plenty of spare time in hand during holidays, 85 per cent surveyed parents are worried about kids spending excessive screen time during the break.

According to a survey commissioned by Kantar for Amazon in March 2023 among over 750 parents with young kids (3 - 8 years) across 10 metro and non-metro cities of India, almost 96 per cent of parents are searching for screen-free ideas to keep their kids engaged with learning and fun activities.

The survey indicates that 82 per cent of parents are worried about keeping their kids engaged this summer. Some of the top concerns of parents include 'help kids learn while having fun (41 per cent)', 'keep pace with their curiosity to learn new things (37 per cent)', and 'manage boredom amongst kids in creative ways (30 per cent)'.

More than 90 per cent of parents surveyed believe kids become less active when spending more time on screen devices. Majority felt that ideal screen time should be less than 2 hours however, 69 per cent confirmed that their kids are spending more than 3 hours with screens every day.

"Kids are curious to learn new things and want to have fun in the process. With more free time at hand during summer vacations, parents have a big task ahead of themselves to keep their kids engaged", says Deepender Rana, Executive Managing Director, Insights Division, Kantar. "Our survey indicates that parents are keen to limit screen time of kids with screen-free activities that can help them learn new skills and have fun at the same time."

To help kids make the most of their summer vacation, parents want them to pick up skills such as English speaking (50 per cent); good morals and social manners (45 per cent); performing arts like dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments (36 per cent); arts and crafts (32 per cent); and physical and outdoor activities (32 per cent).

Reducing social media use by 15 minutes a day can significantly improve general health and immune function and reduce levels of loneliness and depression, suggests new research.

The study, published in the Journal of Technology in Behavior Science, showed that the people who reduced their social media use had an average 15 per cent improvement in immune function, including fewer colds, flu, warts, and verrucae.

They also showed a 50 per cent improvement in sleep quality, and 30 per cent fewer depressive symptoms.

"These data demonstrate that, when people reduce their social media use, their lives can improve in many ways -- including benefits for their physical health and psychological well-being," said Professor Phil Reed, from Swansea University's School of Psychology.

"It remains to be established whether the relationship between social media use and health factors is a direct one, or whether changes in well-being variables, such as depression, or other factors, such as an increase in physical activity, mediate it," he added.

The social media platforms are designed to be addictive and are associated with anxiety, depression, and even physical ailments.

Another study published by the American Psychological Association showed that teenagers and young adults who reduced their social media use by 50 per cent for just a few weeks saw significant improvement in how they felt about both their weight and their overall appearance.

Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang has confirmed that a new version of the foldable Motorola Razr smartphone will be launched this year.

Launched by Motorola in 2004, the Razr became one of the most popular flip phones of the 2000s.

Yang told CNBC in an interview at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 that the reception to the Razr "is good" and that Motorola will launch the new version of this foldable phone "very soon".

"I think it's much better," he said of the device.

He gave very few details about the upcoming smartphone but stated that the hinge and the applications on the device would be the main areas of improvement.

Yang also stated that although the cost of foldables are currently quite high, they will go down in the future which could make the market bigger.

"When the technology becomes mature, then the price could go down then you can drive higher volume," the Lenovo CEO said.

At MWC, the company also showcased its "rollable" concept smartphone, featuring a display that rolls up.

According to research firm IDC, shipments of foldable devices made up only 1.1 per cent of all smartphone shipments in 2022 and are only expected to rise to 2.8 per cent in 2026, the report said.

(IANS)

New Delhi (IANS): As millions of smartphone users in India face low battery issues during the day as most of the devices begin to die as evening approaches, realme is bringing industrys first 240W charging to its next flagship device in a bid to address those concerns.

Madhav Sheth, CEO realme India, VP, realme, and President, realme International Business Group, told IANS that the idea is to empower its upcoming device with not only more battery power but a leading feature to put 100 per cent juice in it in less than 10 minutes.

"We have seen unnecessary anxiety and stress among smartphone users who are at work, or connected to their family members via voice/video calls and suddenly realise there is little or no battery left. This creates panic as charging currently takes a lot of time," Sheth mentioned.

The 240W charging in the realme's upcoming device, to be showcased at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023 in Barcelona, Spain, this week, "will charge the smartphone from 1 per cent to 100 per cent in about nine minutes and nine seconds", the realme top executive told IANS.

The company is set to launch a new GT series smartphone -- the Realme GT 3 -- which will be equipped with a 240W fast charging system.

The global smartphone brand Realme realer this week launched GT Neo 5 with 240W fast charging.

In the realme Lab, charging tests revealed that the phone heats up no more than 10 degrees Celsius and can withstand 1,600 charges from 0 per cent to 100 per cent while retaining 80 per cent of its capacity, according to reports.

Meanwhile, the Realme GT 3 is expected to house an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and Adreno 730 GPU.

The Geekbench benchmark listing reveals the device will have 16GB RAM offering Android 13 experience.

New Delhi: As 5G roll-out picks up speed thanks to Reliance Jio and Airtel, India climbed 10 spots for median mobile speeds globally in the month of January, from 79th position in December to 69th, a report said on Monday.

The country also increased two spots in rank globally for overall median fixed broadband speeds, from 81st in December to 79th in January, according to network intelligence and connectivity insights provider Ookla.

Overall fixed median download speeds in India saw a slight increase from 49.14 Mbps in December to 50.02 Mbps in January.

In November, India ranked at 105th position, globally in median mobile speeds.

Ookla also recorded 29.85 Mbps median mobile download speeds in January this year which is better than 25.29 Mbps in December 2022.

The UAE leads the chart for overall global median mobile speeds, whereas Papua New Guinea increased 24 spots in rank globally.

For fixed broadband download speeds, Singapore is consistent at the top spot while Cyprus increased 20 spots in rank globally.

Meanwhile, Reliance Jio's True 5G services have gone live in more than 236 cities, becoming the first and only telecom operator to reach such a wide network in a short span of time.

Jio True 5G has a three-fold advantage -- stand-alone 5G architecture with advanced 5G network with zero dependency on 4G network; the largest and best mix of 5G spectrum across 700 MHz, 3500 MHz, and 26 GHz bands; and seamlessly combining these 5G frequencies into a single robust "data highway" using an advanced technology called Carrier Aggregation.

(IANS)

New Delhi: Average data consumption per user in India reached 19.5GB per user a month in 2022, which is equivalent to 6,600 songs, a report showed on Thursday.

Mobile data traffic in India jumped 3.2 times in the last five years, reaching over 14 exabytes per month, according to Nokia's annual Mobile Broadband Index (MBiT) report. The report revealed that pan-India mobile data usage per month grew from 4.5 exabytes in 2018 to 14.4 exabytes in 2022. Together, 4G and 5G subscribers now account for almost 100 per cent of the total mobile data traffic in the country.

"India has seen a massive uptake of mobile broadband based on successful deployment of 4G LTE networks. We believe that 5G will take mobile broadband consumption to the next level in India by enabling new digital use cases for both consumer and enterprise segments," said Sanjay Malik, SVP and Head of India Market at Nokia.

At an aggregate level, total mobile data consumed in India is expected to more than double by 2024. Over 70 million 5G devices are estimated to have been shipped to India in 2022, indicating a strong traction for 5G in the market.

According to the report, enterprise spending on private 5G networks will be driven by new use cases in diverse industry verticals, including manufacturing, utilities, transportation and healthcare, among others in India. The country's investment in private wireless networks is expected to reach around $250 million by 2027.

"It is essential that this growth is managed in a sustainable manner while supporting India's aim to become a trillion-dollar digital economy," Malik added.

(IANS)

New Delhi, 8th February 2023: Today, Motorola announced the launch of its latest smartphone in the e series franchise, moto e13.It is an all-in-one smartphone, set to disruptthis segment with up to 4GB RAM, powered by UNISOC T606 octa core processor and a 64GBstorage to ensure a strong “hatke” performance, including a massive, long lasting5000mAh batterythat can last over 36 hours*. The smartphone is available in two variants starting atan incredible price of just Rs 6,999 (2GB+64GB) and Rs 7,999 for the 4GB+64GB variant. 

Moto e13 is a showstopper in every way. The sleek, stylish and premium design is beautifully made for your on-the-go style cravings and a vibrant 6.5” IPS LCD display screen only adds more spark to the smartphone. 
 
Furthermore, the moto e13 gives you a multidimensional audio-visual experience with Dolby Atmos®audio. You canunlock new levels of emotion in your favorite songs with greater depth, clarity, and details than ever before, drawing you closer to the artists you love. 
Additionally, with moto e13, you have no more worries about having the right connections. You get support for dual-band Wi-Fi (both 5GHz and 2.4Ghz) – a first in this segment a convenient USB Type-C 2.0 connector, and Bluetooth® 5.03wireless technology. 

Shoot your best photos with the 13MP AI-powered camera system, that are ready to be posted on your social media account. With intelligent features like Auto Smile Capture, the 13MP camera recognizes when everyone in the frame is smiling and snaps a picture. Other features like Face Beauty and Portrait mode enhance your photos automatically, so you get beautiful shots without lifting a finger. Additionally, capture the best selfies with a stunning 5MP front camera. 

Overall, the moto e13 features a standout design, superior comfort that is perfect for one-handed use. With a segment firstIP52 water-repellent design, your phone stays protected from all those spills and splashes when you’re out and about.

Mighty thin at 8.47mm thin and weighing just 179.5g, moto e13 fits your pocket without compromising battery life or the view. Along with the addictive moto gestures such as chop-chop for flashlight, double twist for camera and more, you get a10W Charger in box and 2x2 MIMO for better and faster data speeds. The moto e13has everything you want in a phone. 

Digital inclusion of new indigenous languages 

Over the past two years, Motorola and the Lenovo Foundation have been working to digitize and preserve endangered languages. To date, the teams have worked with indigenous communities to ensure that Kaingang, Nheengatu and Cherokee  are fully supported as part of the 90+ languages we offer through Android. With today’s moto e13 launch, we’re incredibly excited to announce that the device will be the first to support Kangri and Kuvi,  endangered indigenous languages from regions in India. Kuvi and Kangri will make up the third phase of our endangered indigenous languages digital inclusion initiative. As part of this newest phase, the team worked closely with local experts, professors and communities to deliver the first-ever Kuvi language writing system and keyboard, and a fully localized Kangri smartphone User Interface.

The new languages will be available on the new moto e13. Going forward, every Motorola smartphone that has upgraded to Android 13 will have Kangri language and Kuvi keyboard support as well.  Stay tuned for more information on this project in the coming weeks.