“Scary Fast” Apple Event Shot On iPhone Included Lots Of Expensive Gear

Earlier yesterday morning, Apple held its “Scary Fast” event where it announced its new M3 family of processors, and MacBook Pros and iMacs powered by said chip. In true Apple fashion, the event also had the disclaimer that the entire event was “Shot on iPhone” which sounds amazing, until it was (unsurprisingly) revealed that the entirety of it was done with a ton of really, really expensive camera equipment.

If you’re wondering what iPhone Apple used to shoot the entire “Scary Fast” event, it’s the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It goes without saying that the end result of that shoot definitely looks impressive but again, a camera inside a phone is only as good as the resources thrown at it.

In Apple’s official behind-the-scenes video, the crew behind the entire process shows off a great deal of professional equipment that includes industrial-set studio lighting, high-end gimbals, dollies, as well as the drone because how else do you get that long, fast-moving close up shot of your CEO.

Needless to say, a lot of blood, sweat, and probably tears of virgins that went into the production process, but more importantly, it can also interpreted that the behind-the-scenes look of Apple’s “Scary Fast” event also sends an indirect message that, the iPhone 15 Pro Max used here is only one of several cogs in the machine and that, once again, a camera is only as good as the equipment it’s paired with.

For comparison’s sake, here’s another video shot with the iPhone 15 Pro, featuring Olivia Rodrigo albeit on a smaller scale because, as The Verge puts it: she’s no Tim Apple.

Apple’s Next Launch Event To Take Place On 14 September

For the past week or two, there have been rampant rumours claiming that Apple has planned to have a special launch event this month. True enough, the company has just officially announced the date for its next event.

According to the media invite as well as its US website, the event is scheduled to take place at 10:00 AM PDT on 14 September which is equivalent to 1:00 AM Malaysia time on 15 September. This round of Apple’s special event will once again take place virtually as the threat of COVID-19 is still at large throughout the world.

Greg Joswiak, the company’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing tweeted a short clip to mark the occasion. The clip is essentially a demonstration of the AR feature that you can activate through your iPhone and iPad by tapping the glowing Apple logo on the event section of Apple US website.

It is really hard to guess what Apple is trying to hint through the images and AR easter egg that accompanied today’s announcement. However, the “California streaming” tagline does remind us of a very famous song from the 1960s, California Dreamin’ which was made famous by The Mamas and The Papas.

At the moment, among new products that are expected to be revealed at the upcoming event includes iPhone 13 (or iPhone 12s, depending on who you ask), Apple Watch Series 7, and next-generation AirPods. Expect to hear more rumours as they make their way into the Internet, now that there is only one week to go before the event takes place.

Samsung Confirms Galaxy Unpacked Event To Be Held On 11 August 2021

Samsung has updated its social media channels to confirm the date for its upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event. Slated to happen on 11 August 2021 at 10pm local time via the tech giant’s official website, the online-only launch event will undoubtedly see the debut of its latest foldable smartphones – namely, the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip3.

While not officially confirmed by the brand itself, the graphic elements featured on the accompanying promotional image is a big giveaway on what to expect – along with the event’s not-so-subtle “Get ready to unfold” tagline. As you may recall from our report published in June, it was previously rumoured that Samsung will be launching the aforementioned foldable devices during a major Unpacked event that was tipped to be held in August.

Industry insiders also suggested that the tech giant will debut two new Galaxy-branded smartwatches along with the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Flip. These are believed to be the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch Active4, which would feature a refreshed version of Wear OS that is jointly-developed by both Samsung and Google. Not forgetting that some alleged details regarding the specifications for all four upcoming devices were also leaked in earlier this month.

Those who’ve been following Samsung’s various events for the past few years may have noticed something significantly different about this Galaxy Unpacked as well. Most obvious is the absence of the brand’s second highly anticipated flagship smartphone line, the Galaxy Note series, that is often revealed in the third quarter of every year. This could very well mean that rumours of the series’ cancellation may end up being true after all, which would definitely disappoint a good number of fans.

Meanwhile, Samsung Malaysia says that those registering their interest via the event’s page (link provided below) are also entitled to receive a RM300 e-voucher which can be used at the brand’s online store after pre-ordering the new Galaxy devices. However, the company noted that the e-voucher is only applicable on selected Samsung wearables & accessories.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Date Leaks; Event To Kick Off 11 August

Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked event is undoubtedly expected to be the brand’s most exciting product reveal this year, but has remained silent about when it is taking place. Fortunately, thanks to reliable and long-time leakster, Evan Blass (@evleaks), we now have an exact date for the event, along with some product leaks.

According to Blass, the next Galaxy Unpacked event is set to kick off next month and more specifically, 11 August. In addition to that, the man then proceeded to leak several renders of the products that apparently are going to be announced during the event. These items include the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and Galaxy Buds 2. Not only that, Blass’ leaks also seem to suggest that the event could also be when Samsung announces one additional device: the Galaxy S21 FE.

As XDA says, if the latter does become reality, it would most definitely be surprising, considering that Samsung previously pushed the launch of the phone back to the fourth quarter of this year, due in no small part to the ongoing chip shortage.

Now, it goes without saying that Samsung has not released any official date yet and this is still just a rumour. However, given Blass’ track record and reputation, believing the 11 August event date wouldn’t be too far a stretch of the imagination. Guess we’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed and wait.

IOC Names Gran Turismo Among Those Selected For Its New Olympic Virtual Series Event

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today has announced that it will hold its first-ever virtual sports event known as the Olympic Virtual Series (OVS). The event is slated to take place from 13 May to 23 June, ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games which was postponed to July this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Olympic Virtual Series is a joint effort between the Committee and five International Sports Federations (IFs), as well as video game publishers. These include Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) which will use Polyphony Digital’s driving simulator Gran Turismo, while Union Cycliste Internationale will use Zwift virtual cycling simulator, The World Baseball Softball Confederation with Konami’s eBaseball Powerful Pro Baseball 2020, and World Sailing with Virtual Regatta. World Rowing is also participating in the event, but has yet to name a corresponding video game or simulator.

The IOC did not reveal how and why the aforementioned titles were selected for the event – with the most interesting choice being Konami’s baseball game which features cute super deformed characters but provides “deep gameplay”, according to fans and critics. The Committee did not say which version of Gran Turismo the FIA will be utilising for its virtual races. That being said, the 7th iteration of the series is planned to be released on the PlayStation 5 this year, but its expected date of release is still not known.

As for the event itself, IOC president Thomas Bach says that the OVS aims to grow direct engagement with new audiences in the field of virtual sports. In addition, he noted that the event’s conception is also in line with the Committee’s Olympic Agenda 2020+5 and Digital Strategy which was unanimously approved in March.  Meanwhile, the IOC also noted that the OVS has garnered interests from other federations such as FIFA, the International Basketball Federation, International Tennis Federation and World Taekwondo, which have “confirmed their excitement and commitment to exploring inclusion in future editions [of the event].”

This is as far as what the organisation has disclosed regarding the event. Details such as how to sign up, expected itinerary, potential participants, how to sign up, and what prizes will be offered are only revealed at a later date.

It’s also worth noting that OVM is not to be confused with the Intel World Open, another IOC-approved video gaming oriented tournament that is supposed to kick off before the upcoming Olympic Games. Unlike the Virtual Series, the Intel organised event is more Esports centric – featuring games such as Capcom’s Street Fighter V and Psyonix’s Rocket League. The event, unfortunately, has been delayed indefinitely with no recent update since the announcement of its postponement back in March last year.

Samsung Schedules An Unpacked Event On 28 April For New Galaxy Books

Over the years, Samsung has organised a series of signature launch events that the company called Unpacked. Since two of such events have taken place in January and March, we thought that the next Unpacked event would take place in the second half of the year but turns out we were wrong.

This morning, Samsung has announced that the third Unpacked event of 2021 will take place on 28 April. As per tradition, the company has also published a trailer for it:

At first, it is hard to guess the product that is being referred to by the trailer although it seems to be pointing to a device with a clamshell form factor. The only real clue is that the Unpacked event will be featuring “the most powerful Galaxy,”.

While this doesn’t apply to Malaysia, the Samsung Galaxy family in other markets also covers laptops which we believe are related to the clue since the laptop’s processors are way more powerful than those that are equipped into phones. In fact, two such devices were leaked last month including the Galaxy Book Pro and Galaxy Book Pro 360.

Furthermore, the 28 April Unpacked event was not highlighted on Samsung Malaysia’s website, unlike the previous two Unpacked 2021’s event. Any Samsung products that are not meant for Malaysia would not be featured on the website, so this seemed to signify that the products that will be shown at the event will not be available in our market.

Once we visited the Samsung US website, we then noticed that the address and title of the mini-site for the 28 April’s Unpacked event clearly linked it to Galaxy Book devices. So, it is possible that you could be disappointed if you are hoping to see a new Galaxy phone or tablet on 28 April but nevertheless, we will keep you posted with updates from the event.

Apple Accidentally Leaks Unannounced Event Date… Via Siri

Assistants aren’t perfect. Sometimes they get your coffee wrong, or schedule an appointment on the wrong date. But what about digital voice-activated ones? Well… Siri kind of slipped up for Apple, according to MacRumors. And rather than the usual misheard instructions kind of mistakes, Apple’s famed voice assistant supposedly spilled the beans on an unannounced event which is slated to happen later this month.

The publication said that it simply asked Siri “When is the next Apple Event?”, to which it responded with “The special event is on Tuesday, April 20th, at Apple Park in Cupertino, CA.” Not realising its mistake, Siri continued with “You can get all the details on Apple.com“. Clicking the link will take you to Apple’s event landing page but the event itself has not been listed yet, MacRumors added.

For those in Malaysia who are thinking of asking the poor unsuspecting voice assistant with the same question, then you’re out of luck. Our chief editor Chapree did just that, but was met with a different response. Siri instead asked him to refer to Apple’s website for any information, which we did check. No dice, unfortunately.

According to The Verge, only those with a US Apple ID are able to receive the same response as MacRumors. But chances are, Apple may have already tweaked Siri’s “error” by this time.

Being a slip of a digital tongue, not much is known about this supposed Apple “special event”. Some believe that we may finally see the launch of new iPad Pro models which, according to a  Bloomberg report, will feature Mini LED screens – a first for any Apple product. Other potential debuts alongside the Pro is the 2021 version of the iPad mini, and the ever elusive AirTags product.

We’ll eventually find out if such an event will be held on the aforementioned date next week. But should this information be accurate, there’s a big possibility that we’ll be hearing an official announcement from Apple soon enough.

Apple WWDC Event To Take Place Virtually From 7 To 11 June 2021

Apple has announced that it will hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) from 7 until 11 June 2021. Much like last year, the event will be an online-only virtual keynote due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Unlike the company’s usual events that we’re accustomed to, WWDC usually covers Apple’s upcoming software offerings for the year.  These include updates and new features that are inbound to its iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS platforms. The Cupertino-based tech firm did not disclose what are the highlights to be expected from the event, but noted that it will be “the biggest and best yet.” 

New hardware announcements during a WWDC keynote are rare but not unheard of. Apple cunningly snuck in reveals of updated iMac and iPad Pro models in WWDC 2017, the then-new Mac Pro in 2019, and announced its Mac line-up transition to Apple Silicon chips in 2020.

On that regard, there have been plenty of rumours suggesting new Apple hardware that are planned to be unveiled this year. These range from redesigned iPad mini and MacBook Pro, a VR/AR/mixed reality headset, to the ever elusive Air Tags. Most of which were tipped to be revealed during a supposed “surprise” keynote on 23 March, which never happened.

As to whether Apple will announce a new piece of hardware remains to be seen. Regardless, we’ll eventually find out when WWDC 2021 kicks off in another two months time.

Alleged Nokia G10, X10, And X20 Details Leak Ahead Of 8 April Launch Event

HMD Global is expected to host an event on 8 April, with reports suggesting that there will be a total of three new Nokia entry-level smartphones – the G10, X10, and X20, to be specific – for the masses. While the phone’s parent company is keeping mum, details regarding the three phones have already made their way online.

Starting with the Nokia G10, the phone is expected to ship out 6.38-inch LCD HD+ display, a 4000mAh, and an octa-core chipset of unknown make and architecture. The phone is also expected to have either 3GB or 4GB RAM, along with 32GB or 64GB of expandable storage. Additionally, the phone main camera is expected to have four sensors comprising a 48MP main, 5MP ultra-wide, 2MP depth, and a 2MP macro. While the front is a 16MP sensor.

As for the Nokia X10 and X20, details for the two phones are still scarce, but it appears both models will house Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 480 SoC, which supports 5G and should give you an idea over what to expect. Again, besides that, there is no further information about the phone, not even about their main camera setup.

Last but not least, the same sources also hint at the possible pricing of all three phones; the G10 is estimated to cost around 139 Euros (~RM493), while the X10 and X20 will be retailed at 300 Euros (~RM1471) and 350 Euros (~RM1716), respectively.

Samsung Schedules Galaxy Unpacked Event On 17 March For Galaxy A Series

Samsung earlier this morning announced the date for its next Galaxy Unpacked event which is slated for 17 March. Some may still remember that the company already had an Unpacked event to launch the Galaxy S21 Series earlier this year, so what could the second Unpacked of 2021 bring to the table?

As you can see from the clip as well as the wordings that accompanied the announcement, you would have noticed that the word “Awesome” has been mentioned again and again. It is the very word that Samsung has used prominently as part of its Galaxy A Series campaign throughout 2020 which is why we believe that the upcoming event on 17 March will be focusing on the series.

While Samsung has indeed unveiled several new devices under the Galaxy A Series for 2021 such as the Galaxy A42 and Galaxy A32 earlier this year, the event on 17 March would most probably shed more light on the new higher-end models within the family. One of them is the much-rumoured Galaxy A72 which will apparently feature the 6.7-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor.

According to the leaked information from prominent leaker Roland Quandt of WinFuture, the Galaxy A72 will also carry a 64MP main camera alongside an 8MP telephoto, 12MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro cameras. It will also feature a 32MP selfie camera and 5000mAh battery as well as up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB internal storage.

On another hand, there is also the Galaxy A52 which Roland said is equipped with a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED Full HD+ display. Interesting enough, the 4G variant of the phone is apparently powered by Snapdragon 720G but the LTE version will be running on Snapdragon 750G instead.

Just like the higher-end Galaxy A72, the Galaxy A52 will apparently feature the same 64MP main camera and 32MP selfie camera. However, its rear camera module will also include an 8MP ultra-wide camera as well as two unknown cameras that have 5MP and 2MP sensor each.

The Galaxy A52 will come with a smaller 4500mAh battery too although it is still substantially large by the current standard. Despite these leaks though, nothing is official until Samsung said so which means you have to keep a look for further updates from the Galaxy Awesome Unpacked event on 17 March later. So, stay tuned.

ESA Confirms E3 2021 Physical Event Cancellation; Digital Event Still On Schedule

The physical event of E3 last year was cancelled, for obvious reasons. And it looks like the one this year will share the same fate, for the same reason as well.

The Department of Convention & Tourism Development of Los Angeles notes that an event called E3 2021 was supposed to happen on 3 March. The update on the event reads “cancelled live event”, as well as “working on 2022 & 2023 license”. This does suggest that the Entertainment Software Association, the organiser of the event, is already making plans for a physical event next year and the year after that. Assuming of course that the COVID-19 pandemic eases off by then.

The ESA has also since sent a statement to TechRadar, confirming the note in the LA City event list. The company says that it is “transforming the E3 experience for 2021 and will soon share exact details”.

Though none of this is exactly surprising. When the ESA announced the cancelling of the physical E3 event last year, the company also mentioned exploring the option for an online experience. Later reports would then add a 15 – 17 June 2021 window for it. So far, everything seems to be going as planned.

Though it remains to be seen if it will be as large as its physical events once was. After all, to plug the gap left by the absence of E3, many companies live streamed their announcements instead. And to great success too, from the looks of it.