Get ready for new gadgets from Apple and Huawei to geek over

With the IFA 2024 tech show currently underway in Berlin, Germany, get ready for an amazing and techciting week filled with awesome wonders from Apple and Huawei among others.

With Techtember in full swing, we can be assured of a host of new gadgets to geek over

Apple

On Monday, Apple is expected to unveil its new iPhone to the world with the tagline “It’s Glowtime”.

With artificial intelligence (AI) all the rage at the moment, Apple is expected to join the bandwagon with the possible debut of its first generative AI device.

The event will take place at 10 am Pacific Time (7pm in South Africa)  at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Apple Park and will be streamed online.

During the event,  Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 16 lineup. The big change to the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus is touted to be a switch to a vertically aligned camera system on the back.

While it’s unclear what “glowtime” is referring to, embedded AI is expected to be a key feature of the latest iPhone 16 lineup.

Apple’s design of its smartphone has largely remained unchanged aesthetically, albeit with a few tweaks here and there.

At its World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, Apple announced a slew of AI features under the umbrella of “Apple Intelligence,” including a revamped Siri and an integration with ChatGPT.

Apple CEO Tim Cook at the time said Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with the company’s products.

ALSO READ: Microsoft close to realising dream of computers understanding humans

Huawei

Staying ahead of the race, Huawei is gearing up for a highly anticipated product launch on 19 September, with a series of innovative products, from wearables to tablets, set to be unveiled.

As competition intensifies in consumer tech, Huawei’s latest offerings will pose a direct challenge to Apple’s dominance.

The timing for Huawei’s much anticipated smart device launch couldn’t be better as they promise a wide array of choices, innovative features, and cutting-edge technologies.

One of the major highlights of the upcoming launch event is the anticipation of the launch of the Huawei Watch GT 5 series. The new series is expected to feature the recently unveiled TruSense System, which promises to enhance health and fitness tracking with more precise and comprehensive data.

Another anticipated release is the new edition of the Huawei Watch Ultimate, which, based on the teasers out there is expected to introduce an array of golf features.

This comes at a time when there’s a growing demand for wearables with specialised features tailored to users’ hobbies and fitness activities.

Speculation is also suggesting that a next-generation blood pressure monitoring device will be launched in the form of Huawei Watch D 2. Media reports indicate it may introduce ABPM (Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring) in its wearable devices.

This could potentially make it the world’s first smartwatch to support dynamic blood pressure monitoring, a game-changer for users concerned about their health and blood pressure.

Two new tablets are likely to be debuted during the launch event, the Huawei MatePad Pro and MatePad12 X.

Additionally, an upgraded Huawei Glide Keyboard is expected, which may bring an innovative stylus storage design with seamless connectivity.

ALSO READ: AI-driven: Apple set to launch new iPhone lineup in September

Honor

Last week, Honor officially rolled out three new devices to the global market during a keynote event at IFA – the incredibly thin and light Magic V3 foldable smartphone along with the MagicPad 2,  MagicBook Art 14 and Honor Watch 5.

Of the three, the Magic V3 mesmerised attendees. Honor CEO George Zhao took every chance he could to point out how much better the Magic V3 is compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

During the presentation, Honor highlighted its collaboration with Google to integrate features based on Google Cloud AI models and APIs into Honor devices.

There’s what Honor called ‘Face to Face translation. The ‘AI Eraser’ feature will clean up any unwanted photo bombers from your pics, and the Honor Notes app receives an AI-powered update too.

Lenovo

Lenovo also joined the party, announcing its newest additions to its Lenovo Yoga and Lenovo IdeaPad portfolios at Lenovo Innovation World 2024, designed to enhance user productivity and creativity through the power of AI.

Models include additions to the Lenovo Copilot+ PC portfolio. These new products promise to revolutionize the way consumers create, ideate, and produce, offering a seamless blend of performance and user-centric features.

The products—announced at Lenovo’s special event in Berlin—include the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, Yoga Pro 7, IdeaPad Slim 5, IdeaPad Slim , Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD Ryzen processors.

The company also unveiled the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x and  IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 powered by Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processors.

Lenovo also showcased Lenovo Creator Zone, a software suite that allows creators to use natural language to ideate and generate images locally with the power of AI.

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Microsoft

During last week, Microsoft South Africa said it has been trying to figure out how computers can understand humans as opposed to humans understanding computers from the outset.

With the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI), Microsoft launched its range of Copilot+ devices saying the strides in computers and technology have made a giant leap into the future.

“If you think about it, we are quite close to actually realising this dream of actually a computer understanding us. AI is a very distinctive technology of our times.”

Adam Labancz, Surface category manager at Microsoft, Middle East and Africa said it is in a new era of AI while unveiling the devices.

The devices are part of Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs portfolio, a new category of Windows PCs designed for AI.

Copilot+ PCs are currently the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built, but as technology rapidly changes, the competition is not far behind.

Asus

ASUS also introduced an array of updates and new AI PC models that you won’t want to miss out on at IFA 2024.

New models feature an Intel Lunar Lake or Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus CPU, more efficient memory-on-package design, plus other Asus-exclusive innovations.

With technology continuing to shape how we live, work, and play, and the arrival of new products, the advancement signals a significant leap forward in the evolution of AI-driven laptops.

The Zenbook S 16 was among the laptops that was unveiled.

More than just a tool, the Zenbook S 16 embodies the fusion of cutting-edge performance and sleek, functional design, tailored for those who demand more from their devices.

This ultrathin laptop is poised to be the next must-have tech accessory for South African consumers who thrive on innovation.

At just 1.1 cm thick, the ASUS Zenbook S 16 is more than a laptop – it’s a statement. Its ultra-thin design, made possible by the innovative Ceraluminum material, doesn’t just look good; it’s built to last, resisting scratches and wear while maintaining a sleek, modern aesthetic.

More geek

With the advancement of technology, tech giants will continue to unveil state of the art products that take giant leaps into the future making the products just a few month ago obsolete or seem old.

However, while technology has progressed, new innovations come at a premium price, so hopefully you have deep pockets.

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