The first day of the Mobile World Congress 2024, Barcelona, saw many techs being unveiled. This includes a health ring, a car, a 100-hour battery life watch, a transparent laptop and several AI integrations.
Here is a list of all the new techs by major companies on the first day of the MWC 2024.
Samsung Galaxy Ring
Samsung launched a new wearable device, the Galaxy Ring, to help people keep track of their health. With the Galaxy Ring, Samsung aims to compete with one of the top players in this field — Oura Ring.
The ring is expected to come in three colours — black, gold, and silver. The ring boasts a sleek and slim design catering to various finger sizes.
Hon Pak, the head of Samsung’s digital health team, confirmed that the ring will have multiple sensors to collect data points of the wearer’s health, including the heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep cycle.
Moreover, the Ring will also provide users with a ‘vitality score’ based on four parameters: sleep, heart rate, activity, and heart rate variability. This matrix can measure the state of readiness of a user.
Furthermore, the company is also planning to add a contactless payment feature on the device expanding the scope of the device. Users can take the help of the Samsung Health app to access the data.
The company is also looking into a subscription model for its Samsung Health app and is refining the app further.
Xiaomi’s first electric car – SU7
Xiaomi showcased its SU7 sedan. Although many companies like Sony have ventured into this field, Xiaomi dared to enter this realm alone without any collaborative efforts.
Additionally, the company has been developing its proprietary HyperOS which is designed for integration across various devices.
As per The Indian Express, the automobile will be launched with customised battery packs. The standard one (73.6 kWh) has a range of about 668 km while the higher one (101 kWh) can extend the range up to 800 km.
The car will be available in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive depending on the user’s preference. Additional features may include cruise control, screens for entertainment, and parking assistance.
The deliveries will start in China in the second quarter of this year. However, the company is quiet about the global launch.
Transparent concept laptop from Lenovo
Another interesting piece of tech was unveiled by Lenovo. The company showcased its ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop, a concept that combines transparent technology with features aimed at digital artists.
The standout feature of the ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop is its 17.3-inch MicroLED panel, which serves as a transparent display allowing users to see the world behind the screen while sketching on the lower half of the laptop.
As per The Verge, one noticeable challenge with the current prototype is the inability to manually set the entire laptop screen to be opaque, regardless of content. The company aims to address this limitation in the production model of the device.
Other features include a flat-touch keyboard, doubling as a drawing tablet when detached and an AI element to identify and display information about objects.
While the technology does look like something from the future, the company is expecting the device to be in production within the next five years.
OnePlus Watch 2
OnePlus has officially taken the wraps off its second-generation smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch 2 at the MWC 2024.
The chassis is crafted from US military standard MIL-STD-810H with a 2.5D sapphire crystal cover. The watch weighs about 49 grams without the strap and 80 grams with it.
The display screen features an AMOLED display of 466 by 466 resolution. Under the hood, the watch is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 SoC and a BES 2700 MCU Efficiency chipset.
The watch is powered by the Wear OS 4 and supports 2 GB RAM and 32 GB storage. One of the primary standout features of the Watch 2 is its extended battery life of up to 100 hours in ‘smart mode’ and 48 hours in case of heavy usage.
The charging time is quite convenient with the device taking about 60 minutes for a full recharge.
The OnePlus Watch 2 has been launched in India at a price of ₹24,999 and the sale will start from March 4.
Google integrates Gemini into its ecosystem
Although Google’s AI journey has been far from perfect with Gemini being accused of promoting racism and inaccurate representation of historical images, the company is still keeping the AI train running.
The company introduced a beta feature in the Google Messages app where the users can use Gemini to craft messages and generate images. Google Auto will also use Gemini to summarise texts or to provide context for group chats.
Google is also bolstering screen reader support for Lens in Maps. By leveraging the phone’s camera, users can receive auditory information about their surroundings, including details about nearby places and signs, making navigation more informative for visually impaired users.
On the productivity front, Google is extending support for handwritten notes in Docs on Android devices, allowing users to use their fingers or a stylus to create notes. With various pen styles and colours available, this feature enhances the flexibility of note-taking in digital documents.
In the realm of entertainment, Google is updating the Android home screen with an output switcher for Spotify, enabling users to switch between sources when listening to songs and podcasts.
Furthermore, the Fitbit app is receiving an update with support for data integration from various sources such as AllTrails, Oura Ring, and MyFitnessPal.
Google is adding features to the Watch OS to allow users to directly access Google Wallet from their smartwatches. Moreover, watch users can receive voice commands when searching for the best route.
In the News: Earth Lusca targets Taiwan days before national election
