HMD Fusion has been launched in India with specifications including 108MP rear camera and a 50MP selfie camera, along with support for attachable Smart Outfits. These include Casual Outfit, Flashy outfit, and Gaming Outfit aligning with the utility and aesthetic factor for the users.
HMD Fusion India Launch: Price, Availability
Priced at Rs 17,999 for the sole 8GB + 256GB model, the HMD Fusion is available in Tech block concept and offers HMD Casual outfit, HMD Flashy Outfit, and HMD Gaming Outfit worth Rs 5,999 as complimentary. While the regular price is Rs 17,999, the special limited period launch price is Rs 15,999 on Amazon paired with bank offers. The sale starts on November 29 at 12.01 PM IST on Amazon as well as HMD’s own website.
HMD Fusion: Specifications
The HMD Fusion sports a 6.56-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a 90Hz Refresh Rate and 600 nits peak brightness. The HMD Fusion draws power from a Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 4nm processor.
The device gets 8GB RAM with 256GB storage. It will receive 2 major OS updates till Android 16. It sports dual rear cameras with a 108MP primary sensor and a 2MP depth sensor along with a 50MP sensor on the front.
It is backed by a 5000mAh battery with 33W fast charging. Connectivity options available on the device will include 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS, and NFC along with a USB-C port and a 3.5 mm audio jack. The handset is also IP54 rated and has microSD card storage expansion support as well.
Microsoft has announced a new in-game Browser called Microsoft EDGE Game Assist. Launched in Preview, it is the first in-game browser claimed to deliver a “rich gaming-centric browsing experience—including access to your browser data from your PC and mobile devices.”
Microsoft Edge Game Assist is specifically designed for Microsoft Edge, which is optimized for PC gaming and can appear on top of your game in Game Bar. It’s game-aware and will suggest tips and guides for what you’re playing. It also shares the same browser data with Edge on your PC, so the information you care about is always accessible while you play—including your favourites, history, cookies, form fills, and more.
This means you don’t need to log into sites again, and getting to what you care about is easy. You can even quickly access your favourite services like Discord, Twitch, Spotify, or any other page or site in the sidebar. And, like other Game Bar widgets, you can PIN Game Assist above your game to reference a guide or watch a video while you play.
Game Assist (Preview) is now available through the Game Bar, a gaming overlay that offers in-game widgets such as Xbox Social for connecting with friends and tracking achievements, tools like Spotify and Teams, and utilities for capturing screenshots, recording game clips, adjusting audio settings, and monitoring system performance.
Game Assist (Preview) is accessible on Windows 11 with Microsoft Edge Beta 132. The setup is straightforward, and you can access it directly from the Game Bar using the Win+G shortcut.
The initial preview is localized in English and supports a selection of popular PC games such as:
Baldur’s Gate 3
Diablo IV
Fortnite
Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga
League of Legends
Minecraft
Overwatch 2
Roblox
Valorant
Keep in mind that as this is a preview, some known issues will be solved with future updates. These issues include:
The Game Assist widget is automatically closed after a period of inactivity.
Open tabs are restored when Game Assist is re-opened, but prior navigation history is not yet retained.
You can’t right-click on links, images, or the page.
A report suggests that a Samsung and OpenAI partnership is being discussed for the latter to power AI features in Samsung Galaxy smartphones. Currently, Samsung leverages Google’s Gemini Nano model to power the suite of Galaxy AI features, aside from Gemini, Circle to Search, and more.
The report comes from ‘The Information,‘ which states that OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is exploring a partnership with Samsung to integrate its AI technology into Galaxy devices, bringing advanced AI features to the popular smartphone lineup. The Samsung and OpenAI partnership would be similar to that of Apple and OpenAI, who have collaborated to power Siri’s AI capabilities.
If OpenAI manages to pull it off, it would be a major win for the company, as Samsung is one of the biggest smartphone makers in the world, which would help it expand ChatGPT access to a wider user base. However, whether Samsung will completely ditch Google in favour of OpenAI is unclear. That would be unlikely, though, as Google has maintained a long-standing partnership with Samsung, collaborating on numerous features.
Meanwhile, the report adds that OpenAI is also working on a ChatGPT-powered browser that will compete with Google Chrome, Apple’s Safari browser, and more. OpenAI entered the Search business earlier this year and announced ChatGPT Search last month. With the Search feature in the chatbot, ChatGPT will choose to search the web based on what you ask, or you can manually select to search by clicking the web search icon.
A partnership with OpenAI and Google doesn’t mean Samsung is giving up on its efforts on AI, as the company recently unveiled its AI-backed Bixby in China. Samsung highlighted four major new capabilities of the next-generation Bixby, starting with incorporating video into responses. For example, Bixby can now add relevant videos to text replies when requesting travel tips. Another new feature enables Bixby to translate entire web pages, making accessing information in different languages easier.
A new report has surfaced online suggesting that Apple is working an AI-based Siri overhaul that is internally being called “LLM Siri.” However, the report also adds that this newly refreshed Siri won’t be arriving anytime soon, and has been delayed till Spring of 2026.
The report from Bloomberg says that Apple is advancing toward a significant overhaul of Siri, aiming to make it more conversational by leveraging in-house large language models—the same technology that powers chatbots like ChatGPT. The company is currently testing this enhanced version internally under the name “LLM Siri.”
While Apple has essentially found a workaround to provide AI-based Siri services by partnering with OpenAI and using ChatGPT, the company knows that it “can’t rely on partners for such a fundamental piece of technology in the long run,” according to the report.
However, LLM Siri it isn’t scheduled to launch until around the spring of 2026. We may witness an unveiling sometime before that, possibly at the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference or at another event next year. Aside from the new Siri, the report adds that a “larger-than-usual number of features scheduled for iOS 19” have already been postponed until spring 2026 (when iOS 19.4 debuts).
Ahead of that, Apple is preparing a major update this spring with the release of iOS 18.4, but several features initially anticipated for later this year are already being delayed according to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg.
Another recent report carrying details of Apple’s AirTag 2 was shared online. As per that, AirTag 2 will retain the design of the original Apple AirTag but will have new internal hardware. This new hardware will enable “better range.” The onboard wireless chip will get an upgrade, and Apple has also paid attention to the privacy aspect.
Google has announced a new update for its to-do list app, stating that the full Google Tasks integration in Google Calendar is now rolling out. Google Tasks allows users to create various tasks for the day or schedule a future one and these tasks will now also be manageable via Google Calendar.
Announced via a Google Workspace updates post, Google Tasks integration in Google Calendar is rolling out. It works similarly to the full-screen task lists for Google Calendar on the web, which were introduced last year, “enabling users to see all their tasks and task lists in a single full-screen view.” According to the company, this update “makes it easier for users to stay on top of and organize their tasks, especially while on the go.”
The Google Tasks integration in Google Calendar will be available to Google Workspace customers, Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. Post this integration, the fate of the Google Tasks App is unclear, as Google Calendar now has full Google Tasks support, except for the dedicated home screen widget the Tasks app has.
In addition, Google also announced a streamlined file organization system with the new Google Drive app update on Android devices. This update will make it easier to find recently viewed Drive items and see what storage locations besides “My Drive” are available to you, such as items you can access within shared drives. It will be available to all Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.
In related updates to Google, the company launched a new Memory feature for Gemini so you can ask the AI assistant to remember your preferences for various actions. Google says the feature can be used for Gemini to “provide even more helpful and relevant responses, tailored precisely to your needs.”
OnePlus is now rolling out OxygenOS 15 for OnePlus Open, its sole foldable available for purchase in the market that debuted last year. OxygenOS 15 was recently rolled out for other OnePlus devices as well, beginning with the OnePlus 12, then OnePlus 12R, and more recently, the OnePlus Pad 2 also received it.
As announced on the OnePlus community, OxygenOS 15 for OnePlus Open is already rolling out in India in batches, and users in North America, Europe, and Global regions will receive it later during this week. The update with version CPH2551_15.0.0.200(EX01) is rolling out in India with the following changelog:
Ultra animation effects
Introduces the industry’s first parallel processing architecture, offering parallel response and unified rendering to elevate multi-app switching to a new level. Even under extreme usage conditions, the display remains consistently smooth and seamless, ensuring unwavering stability.
Adds parallel animation for a wider range of scenarios, including widgets, components, folders and more, ensuring smooth animations even when frequently interrupted.
Adds system-level swiping curve coverage for third-party apps, including WebView interfaces, ensuring a consistent scrolling experience throughout the system.
AI Retouch
Introduces the Enhance clarity feature to enhance the clarity of cropped, distant or low-quality photos.
With AI Reflection Eraser, blurred photos regain their sharpness, color accuracy, and lighting, ensuring that special moments with pets, kids, and others are vividly preserved.
Introduces the Remove reflections feature to effortlessly remove glass reflections for clearer, more authentic photos through windows.
AI Notes
Introduces the new AI writing suite which includes the continue writing, polish and optimise style AI writing features to assist you with drafting and enhancing content, unleashing your creativity in an instant.
Introduces the Format feature to organise scattered information into well-organised content to make it more visually appealing and easier to read.
Introduces the Clean up feature to remove filler words from voice notes to make sentences more coherent while retaining the original audio.
Luminous rendering effects
Optimises the rounded corner design by standardising its specifications and extending the application of a continuous curvature.
Flux themes
Introduces new flux themes with a huge collection of high-quality themes. Customise them with system wallpapers and photos for your unique touch.
Introduces customisation for Always-On Display, the Lock screen and the Home screen. Always-On Display supports flux and classic modes. The Lock screen supports clock colour blending, blurred wallpapers, AI depth effects, AI auto-fills and more. The Home screen supports blurred wallpapers and more.
Introduces flux themes with one-take transition animations, enabling seamless and smooth transitions between Always-On Display, Lock screen and Home screen, significantly enhancing visual continuity.
Live Alerts
Adds a new Live Alerts design that is focused on the visualisation of information, offering better information display efficiency. Live Alerts is also positioned in the centre, creating a more balanced display.
Optimises the way you interact with Live Alerts capsules – just tap a capsule and see it expand into a card. You can quickly switch between multiple live activities simply by swiping left or right on the capsules in the status bar, making it more efficient to view information.
Introduces a new Live Alerts animation system featuring elastic design, seamless expansion and dynamic real-time blur to enhance the visuals of cards.
Livephoto
Extends live photo duration to up to 3 seconds, capturing more of life’s precious moments.
Photo editing
Introduces globally reversible photo editing capability that remembers the settings for your previous edits so they can be applied to subsequent edits, keeping the creative flow uninterrupted.
Improves integration between Camera and filters, so filters that are applied to photos when taken can be edited, changed and removed later in Photos.
Floating Window and Split View
Introduces new Floating Window gestures: pulling down a notification banner to bring up a floating window, pulling down a floating window for full screen display, swiping up to close a floating window and swiping to a side to hide a floating window.
Introduces resizable Split View windows. Simply drag the divider to resize the window not fully displayed for a larger display area. You can also achieve this by tapping the window.
Notifications & Quick Settings
Adds the Split mode for the notification drawer and Quick Settings. Swipe down from the upper-left to open the notification drawer, swipe down from the upper-right for Quick Settings and swipe left or right to switch between them.
Redesigns Quick Settings with an optimised layout that offers more appealing and consistent visuals and more refined and rich animations.
OnePlus Share
The new file transfer capability with iOS devices, easily connecting and sharing files through OnePlus Share.
Now you can easily share live photos with nearby iOS devices.
Battery & charging
Introduces battery protection reminder to turn on Charging limit when your device is connected to a charger for too long.
More
Introduces the new Home screen clock widget that can be resized to your preference.
Plants a “1+” easter egg in Calculator to be displayed when punching in “1+=” as a show of OnePlus’ “Never Settle” philosophy.
Introduces more wallpapers to bring the unique style of OnePlus to your phone.
Contacts can now be switched to a floating window.
Now you can search for notes by pinyin and attachments like audio in your notes.
Optimises the style and visuals of the Notes widgets on the Home screen for a more attractive and practical experience.
Optimises the Drawer mode by retaining the Home screen app layout when you enter Drawer mode for the first time.
Apps in large folders can now be displayed in 3 × 3 grids.
Optimizes the widgets of Clock on the Home screen.
Optimizes the widgets of Clock on the Home screen.
Optimizes the widgets of Notes on the Home screen.
Privacy protection
Improves Private Safe with the new categorised browsing features for images, videos and documents, making it easier to manage private data.
Introduces a new Home screen entry for hidden apps. You can tap the Hidden apps folder on the Home screen and verify your privacy Password to see the apps.
Wi-Fi
Optimises the multi-network experience for more precise, efficient and seamless switches between networks.
If users don’t want the Android 15-based OxygenOS 15 for OnePlus Open, they can also rollback to the older OxygenOS 14 version, the method for which is mentioned in the OnePlus Community post.
As November 2024 concludes with major launches like the Asus ROG Phone 9 series, December 2024 promises to be just as thrilling, with a wave of new smartphones on the horizon, powered by the latest flagship Qualcomm chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite amongst others. Several highly anticipated releases are expected next month—here’s a list of both confirmed and expected smartphones launching in December 2024.
Redmi Note 14 Series (India Launch)
Redmi India has confirmed that Redmi Note 14 series will be amongst smartphones launching in December 2024. The lineup should likely consist of three devices, out of which, the Note 14 Pro+ could sport a 6.67-inch 1.5K ResolutionAMOLED Display with a Refresh Rate of 120Hz, Dolby Vision, 12-bit colours, 3000 nits peak brightness, 240Hz touch sampling rate, 1920Hz PWM dimming, and HDR10+ support. It is protected with Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The device may be equipped with Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC under the hood, paired with 12GB LPDDR4X and 16GB LPDDR5 RAM with 256GB UFS 2.2 and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ may feature a triple camera setup with a 50MP f/1.5 Light Fusion 800 primary sensor, an 8MP f/2.2 IMX355 ultra-wide angle sensor, and a 2MP f/2.4 macro camera. The smartphone also has a 20MP selfie camera. The Note 14 Pro+ packs a 6,200mAh battery and comes with 90W Fast charging support.
Additional features may include X-Axis Linear Haptics Motor, IR Blaster, and dual stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. Connectivity options should include Wi-Fi 6, 5G, Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, NFC and a USB-C port for charging. The device will run on Hyper OS based on Android 14. There’s an in-display optical fingerprint sensor for security while the handset is up to IP69 rated as well.
Redmi Note 14 Series: Launch Date (Confirmed)
The Redmi Note 14 series India launch will take place on December 9, as confirmed by the brand itself.
Redmi Note 14 Series: Price (Expected)
We expect the prices of the devices in the lineup to range from Rs 15,000 till Rs 30,000. However, keep in mind this is purely a speculation based on Redmi’s past pricing trends in India.
Vivo X200 Series (India Launch)
Vivo X200 series should also likely be amongst smartphones launching in December 2024. The devices have already launched in China. However, the Vivo X200 series won’t consist of the X200 Pro Mini, per leaks.
The Vivo X200 Pro features a 6.78-inch 8T LTPO AMOLED Display with quad-curved edges and a centre-aligned punch-hole cutout. The display on the X200 Pro has a 1.5K pixels resolution, 452 ppi, HDR 10+, a dynamic 0.1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate and 4500 nits peak brightness. The device is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC paired with UFS 4.0 storage and LPDDR5x RAM while the top-end 1 TB variant has LPDDR5x Ultra Pro 16GB RAM.
The Vivo X200 Pro has a triple-rear camera setup that includes an OIS-assisted 50MP f/1.57 Sony LYT-818 primary camera, a 50MP f/2.0 ultra-wide unit with a 108-degree FOV, and a 200MP Zeiss APO Super periscope telephoto camera with an f/2.67 aperture. It offers a 32MP f/2.0 selfie shooter at the front. The optics are joined by a Proprietary V3+ imaging chip and Zeiss optics.
The Vivo X200 Pro comes equipped with a 6000mAh battery unit and 90W Fast charging support. It will also support 30W wireless charging. It also features an IP69 rating making it water and dust-resistant.
Connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.4, GPS/ A-GPS, Infrared (IR) blaster, NFC, and a USB Type-C port. It also has stereo speakers and an X-axis haptic motor along with an in-display 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor.
Vivo X200 Series: Launch Date (Expected)
The Vivo X200 series smartphones launching in December 2024 in India could debut around mid of the month according to leaks. However, an exact date remains unconfirmed as of now.
Vivo X200 Series: Price (Expected)
Leaks suggest that Vivo X200 series will be priced along similar lines as their predecessors in India. The Vivo X100 started at Rs 63,999 while the X100 Pro started at Rs 89,999.
iQOO 13 (India Launch)
iQOO 13 is also one of the smartphones launching in December 2024 in India. The iQOO 13 sports a 6.82-inch 2K 8T LTPO OLED flat display with a 144Hz refresh rate, 1800 nits brightness in HBM mode and 4500 nits peak brightness, 2592Hz PWM dimming, and OLED circular polarized light eye protection technology. The display made by BOE, tuned for iQOO. The iQOO 13 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC with up to 16GB LPDDR5x RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage.
For optics, the phone features a triple cam setup on the back, including an OIS-assisted 50MP f/1.88 Sony IMX921 primary camera, a 50MP f/2.0 Samsung JN1 ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 50MP f/1.85 Sony IMX816 2x telephoto sensor with OIS. A 32MP f/2.45 sensor handles the selfies and video calls on the device.
The device draws power from a huge 6150 mAh battery with 120W fast wired charging. The India model will equip a slightly smaller 6000mAh battery. Aside from this, iQOO 13 has a metal middle frame, a Halo light strip on the back around the camera module, an IP68 + IP69 rated body, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.4, GPS, NFC, IR blaster, stereo speakers, and an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor.
iQOO 13 Launch Date (Confirmed)
iQOO 13 India launch has been confirmed to take place on December 3, 2024.
iQOO 13 Price (Expected)
The iQOO 13 could be priced around Rs 60,000 or lower in the country, according to our expectations. For the official price, though, we’ll have to wait till next month.
Cricket fans around the world are gearing up for a thrilling contest as India and Australia lock horns in the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The four-match Test series promises intense battles, fierce rivalries, and a display of exceptional cricketing skills. The first session between India and Australia began from 7:50AM IST today. Here’s how you can watch it live.
In India, the match can be watched through Disney+ Hotstar for those who prefer streaming. The platform will be live-streaming the entire series but you’ll require a subscription to watch it.
If you want to watch the live broadcast, then you can tune in to Star Sports channels as the official broadcaster for the series in India is the Star Sports Network. You can catch all the matches live on Star Sports channels, with coverage available in multiple languages including Hindi, English, and regional languages. The series will also be available on DD Sports for a wider reach.
Australian viewers can tune in to Fox Cricket to watch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy live. Fox Cricket provides comprehensive coverage of the series, including pre- and post-match analysis. Kayo Sports, a popular streaming service in Australia, will also be streaming the series live.
The second match in the series will take place from December 6 till December 10, third will begin from December 14 and end on December 18, fourth will begin from December 26 and end on December 30, while the fifth and the final test match will begin on January 3 and end on January 7, 2025.
India enters the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as the defending champion, having clinched victory in the last four series against Australia. However, the team faces immense pressure after failing to secure a single win in the recently concluded series against New Zealand.
New Spotify Audiobook features are now being tested as shared by the music streaming platform, including Author Pages, Video Clips, and Follow-Along. The new video feature allows select authors and publishers to submit a short video about a specific title. Here’s everything to know about.
Currently in a pilot phase with a select group of authors, these dedicated audiobook author profiles feature biographical details about their lives and works. Author Pages will consolidate their entire catalogs available on Spotify, allowing you to easily explore an author’s past works and stay updated on new releases.
One of the new Spotify Audiobook features includes Video clips. The platform is testing a new video feature that allows select authors and publishers to submit a short video about a specific title.
This can be an interview snippet, a backstage video from the audio recording session, a video message from the author, or something else. Much like a book’s jacket, these videos give you a taste of an audiobook before pressing play, offering an engaging way to explore and evaluate audiobook offerings.
Finally, the platform is also testing a “follow-along” feature on select titles. Follow-Along is an immersive visual experience that allows you to see time-synchronized illustrations, photos, and graphics as you listen to an audiobook. These listening enhancements that help contextualize a story are available in the “extras” section of the audiobook.
Meanwhile, Spotify recently expanded its AI Playlists feature to more regions in beta to Spotify Premium users on Android and iOS devices in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. Spotify AI playlists extend beyond the regular method of creating a playlist where you add various tracks manually. Spotify’s AI capabilities extend beyond typical playlist requests tied to genres or eras, enabling users to seek out more varied mixes.
Tecno has announced the launch of Tecno POP 9 in India with a sub-Rs 7,000 price tag, stereo speakers, and as the first smartphone in the country to pack the MediaTek Helio G50 processor. The POP 9 is the 4G counterpart to the Tecno POP 9 5G which launched in India earlier this year.
Tecno POP 9 4G: Price, Availability
The Tecno POP 9 comes in a single 3GB + 64GB model, priced at Rs 6,699. Including the Rs 200 bank offer, the device can be bought for Rs 6,499. It can be bought in Startrail Black, Glittery White, and Lime Green shades from Amazon India starting November 26, 12 PM IST.
Tecno POP 9 4G: Specifications
The Tecno POP 9 sports a 6.67-inch IPS LCD display with a 90Hz Refresh Rate, 90% Screen to Body Ratio, 180Hz touch sampling rate, 263 ppi, 480 nits brightness, 20:09 Screen Aspect Ratio and 720 x 1600 pixels HD+ resolution. The handset is powered by the MediaTek Helio G50 Processor along with 3GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 64GB of storage which is expandable up to 1TB.
For optics, the device has a single 13MP rear camera and an 8MP selfie sensor with dual colour temperature flash. The handset packs a 5000mAh battery with 15W fast charging. It runs on Android 14 Go Edition based on HiOS 14.
Additional features include in-built Infrared remote control sensor, dual speakers with DTS, and an IP54-rated body. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 5, 4G LTE, GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, and a USB-C port.
At a similar price point, one could consider the Moto G04s which comes for Rs 6,999. Not only does it offer more RAM for a slightly higher price, it also sports a better primary camera, at least on paper.
While we cannot comment on the performance aspect as we haven’t used the devices, we can tell you that the Motorola device offers a more stock android-like experience which may be ideal for many. The Motorola device offers handset does lack behind when it comes to speakers, as it gets a single speaker compared to Tecno’s stereo speaker setup. If you can overlook the speaker setup, the Motorola handset does look like a better offering than Tecno’s.
