Instagram is testing a new automatic captioning feature that will give a significant boost to the accessibility aspect of its platform. First spotted by social media evangelist Matt Navarra, the automatic transcription tool comes to life via a ‘Captions’ sticker. However, it appears that the Captions sticker for stories is currently a part of internal testing, and as such, has some glitch associated with it.
Instagram says auto-captioning is currently being tested internally
Navarra added in a subsequent tweet that using the Captions sticker on shows an ‘internal only’ banner when used in a story, and that stories with the auto-transcribing feature fail to publish. An Instagram spokesperson subsequently confirmed that the aforementioned feature has not entered a public testing phase. It appears that the feature may have accidentally gone live for some users.
Instagram currently does not offer an automatic captioning facility. However, the feature is available in another app called Threads from Instagram that is made by the Facebook-owned company itself. This app offers a ‘video notes’ feature that automatically adds captions as users record a video. The Threads from Instagram is currently available for both iPhones and Android devices.
There is no word regarding a wider release of this extremely useful feature
Coming back to the automatic captioning feature on Instagram, it is unclear when the app will make it out of the internal testing phase and becomes available widely for all users. We’ll keep you updated regarding any new developments around this useful feature.
However, not at all Instagram tests have been received well by users, with the latest one being private likes. Due to a bug, the feature was accidentally enabled for a large number of Instagram users, many of whom went into panic mode. While some appreciated it because hidden likes reduce the ‘social media pressure’, influences raised concern that it might affect their ability to score sponsorships. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri called it polarizing, but noted that the feature will be selectively accessible for users who want it.
Facebook has been expanding Reels since the day the feature was introduced on Instagram. Now, the company is testing a feature on Instagram that will allow you to share Reels on your Facebook account. The feature is being tested in India. Some content creators who make 30-second long Reels on Instagram will have the option to share them on Facebook.
“In India, we’re testing the ability for Instagram creators to choose to have their Reels recommended on Facebook… creators can reach new audiences and people can create and discover more entertaining content,” a Facebook spokeswoman told Reuters.
Instagram recently rolled out its TikTok-clone, Reels on the Lite app. The 2MB version of the Instagram app now has the Reels feature in India. It allows users to watch the popular short-format videos in the Reels tab. However, it doesn’t allow users to create Reels on the app. Facebook said, “Now with this update, everyone using the Instagram Lite app in India will be able to view Reels with the Reels tab. This feature was expedited for India because of the traction Reels is seeing in India, and the early adoption of the new Instagram Lite app.”
Google also expanded Reels to show them in the Google App for mobile devices. The move is said to help Google retain users in search of social video entertainment from fully leaving its platform. These Reels appear in their dedicated carousel. Plus, these are different from Google Stories. It appears in the personalized feed in the Google mobile app, which is found to the left of the home screen on some Android devices.
Instagram launched Reels in the country soon after the TikTok ban in June last year. Notably, the success of TikTok has prompted many social media companies to make their own versions of TikTok. And, you can now find these on Instagram and Snapchat.
Earlier this week, some Instagram users noticed that the number of likes on their posts was hidden, which later turned out to be a bug that was quickly fixed. However, it was enough to create a whole lot of online chatter from disgruntled users, especially creators aka influencers. Now, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has admitted via a short video that the idea of keeping the number of likes private from others is a polarizing idea.
Instagram has been testing hidden likes since 2019
The private likes feature has actually been under the testing phase for over a year now. Instagram says that earlier this week, it accidentally added more people to the test circle due to a bug, hiding the likes count on their posts. However, the folks over at Instagram quickly fixed the issue and restored the likes for users who were unintentionally roped in the test circle.
Live Rooms & Private Like Counts
This week we unintentionally launched private like counts to a lot of people, our apologies. The idea is clearly polarizing, so we’re looking for a way to bring the idea to people who want it and not to those who don’t.#thisweekoninstagrampic.twitter.com/aS0p4tkDfV
Late last year, Instagram started testing the ability to hide the number of likes on photos and the number of views generated by a video from the Feed, Profile, and permalink pages. Back then, Instagram revealed that it was testing this feature so that followers would focus more on the content and its quality, rather than getting influenced by the number of likes it gets.
Private likes is a double-edged sword though
The announcement was originally made at Facebook’s F8 conference back in 2019. “It’s because we want people to worry a little bit less about how many likes they’re getting on Instagram, and spend a bit more time connecting with the people they care about,” Mosseri was quoted as saying by CNBC back then.
Private likes might help ease the social media pressure of being popular, but it might hurt the business prospects too
Despite the gaffe earlier this week, Instagram says the private likes feature is not going away anytime soon. Instead, it will be made available to people who think it is productive and can be useful to them. This will especially come in handy for users who feel the pressure of not being popular enough, and as a result, lose their peace of mind. And this is not a novel observation. A survey conducted by UK’s Royal Society For Public Health actually ranked Instagram as the worst platform for mental health and well-being, leaving behind Snapchat and Facebook to take the undesirable crown.
It also goes without saying that Instagram can be a fiercely competitive platform, especially for creators whose ‘businessworthiness’ is judged by brands based on the net engagement, which in turn is nothing but the number of likes and views their content generates. Hiding the likes count might hurt such creators as businesses might not be able to gauge their popularity, unless they reach out to creators and ask them to disclose their engagement figures – which in turn is an added hassle.
Looks like live group chats are going to be the next big social media trend. Clubhouse is generating some buzz these days. Twitter is doing Spaces. Facebook is now trying to one-up the audio-only rivals by introducing a video-centric take on it. The result? A new Instagram feature called Live Rooms that allows you to do a live broadcast with three other people. Or in simple words, four people can go live simultaneously.
Four people, with their own base of followers, will boost the reach. That's the secret sauce!
Instagram says that Live Rooms expand the monetization opportunities for creators, allowing the audience to purchase badges, participate in fundraisers, and click on the shopping links for products the hosts are hawking. In the coming months, Instagram plans to add more tools such as moderator controls and audio features to Live Rooms. So, what is it that Instagram is pitching with Live Rooms for its user base? Well, here it is:
“We hope that doubling up on Live will open up more creative opportunities — start a talk show, host a jam session or co-create with other artists, host more engaging Q&As or tutorials with your following, or just hang out with more of your friends.”
It will soon be available globally for all Instagram users
And in case you are worried about trolls and abusive people who raise hell in online broadcasts, Instagram says that if a user has been blocked by any four of the Live Room hosts, he/she won’t be able to join the live session. And those who have previously violated Instagram’s live access guidelines will be blocked as well. Hosts will also be able to apply comment filters, as well as report and block comments.
How to start a Live Room on Instagram?
On the Instagram app homepage, swipe left and tap on the Live Camera icon
Think of a great title for your four-person live broadcast and tap on the Rooms option to add the other three hosts.
You can add all three guests at once, or you choose to add them as the live broadcast proceeds.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go live with three of my college pals on Instagram to talk about the pros and cons of pineapple on a pizza!
Instagram Lite debuted in June 2018 but was shut down in May 2020. It came back in September 2020, and soon after rolled out in India. The Instagram Lite app ditched IGTV, Shop and Reels features from the main app. Now, the company is rolling out a new update, which adds Reels to the Instagram Lite app.
Instagram Lite has been created to bring the core Instagram experience to people who are unfamiliar with the app. The app was rolled out without the support for Reels, Instagram’s answer to TikTok. Plus, there is no Shop or IGTV. Moreover, the app has the old layout with the search tab at the bottom, which was recently replaced by the Reels tab.
However, things are changing now. The 2MB version of the Instagram app is adding the Reels feature in India. It will allow Indian users to watch the popular short-format videos in the Reels tab. That said, Instagram Lite users will not be able to create Reels on the app. The Lite app is available in multiple regional languages, including Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu.
In a statement regarding the update, Facebook said, “Now with this update, everyone using the Instagram Lite app in India will be able to view Reels with the Reels tab. This feature was expedited for India because of the traction Reels is seeing in India, and the early adoption of the new Instagram Lite app.”
Instagram recently announced that it will stop promoting Reels with TikTok watermarks. It rolled out guidelines that advised against uploading recycled videos (lifted from the likes of TikTok) with a visible logo or watermark.
As part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 22-28), social media apps are teaming up with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) to provide support and resources to people who are dealing with eating disorders. Both TikTok and Instagram are marking National Eating Disorders Awareness Week with features to encourage body inclusivity. Additionally, Instagram is adding links to local helplines in Australia, Canada and the UK.
On Instagram, if someone tries to share said content or if their friends see them post something concerning, they will see the same set of resources. The platform will enable users to contact their friends for support from the resource landing page. Further, the company will continue to blur out content it thinks may trigger someone with an eating disorder.
Moreover, Pinterest has announced that it will help raise awareness and build communities of support and recovery for those in need. Pinterest will be donating ad credits to encourage people to tune into NEDAwareness Week events and the different roundtables taking place. Furthermore, Story Pins will also be used to generate awareness on the platform, along with a feature educating Pinners about eating disorders communication and recovery on the Today Tab.
On TikTok, if someone searches for terms like “eating disorder,” “edrecovery” (eating disorder recovery), or “proana” (pro-anorexia), they will get a link to support resources along with NEDA contact details. TikTok has developed advice alongside experts on eating disorders on “how to identify negative self-talk, think about one’s own positive attributes and strengths or support a friend who may be struggling.” and will offer them to users. Furthermore, NEDA has teamed up with TikTok to create public service announcements, which will appear on pages for hashtags such as #whatieatinaday, #emotionaleatingtips, #bingerecovery. These will also include contact details for NEDA.
Instagram has today announced a few updated guidelines governing abusive behavior and hateful speech in messages. The Facebook-owned social media platform has announced that repeat offenders will have their accounts disabled if they send abusive messages that violate Instagram’s code of conduct governing hate speech.
Instagram will also disable new accounts created to bypass the ban
Right now, Instagram only prevents an account from sending any more messages once it is found engaging in such behavior. But thanks to the policy update, a repeat offense will get these accounts disabled. Additionally, new accounts created to circumvent the ban will also be disabled. Furthermore, the company will keep an eye on accounts that are created solely for the purpose of harassing other people, and appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against them as well.
Instagram is also expanding the ability to disable direct messages from poeple you don’t follow. So far, this feature has been limited to business accounts, but Instagram has started to extend it to personal accounts as well, and aims to make it available for all users widely.
The company admits regulating hate speech in DMs is not as easy as public conversations
Additionally, users can also disable tags and mentions from accounts that are unfamiliar to them. Instagram says it is also working on a new feature that will address the distress that people experience after seeinbg abusive messages in the first place. The company hasn’t revealed much about it, but says that it will be released in the coming months.
Instagram has reaffirmed its commitment to working with law enforcement agencies when it comes to handling cases of abusive behavior on its platform. However, controlling hate speech in comments or public posts is much easier compared to direct messages, as the latter comes with the risk of violating user privacy. This is a slippery slope for Instagram, because unlike WhatsApp and ‘vanish mode’ conversations on Messenger, direct messages on Instagram are not end-to-end encrypted.
It will resist if demands of law enforcement agencies are too broad or legally sound
Instagram is also aware of the aforementioned privacy aspect when it comes to regulating direct messages on its platform. “The abuse we’re seeing is happening a lot in people’s Direct Messages (DMs), which is harder to address than comments on Instagram. Because DMs are for private conversations, we don’t use technology to proactively detect content like hate speech or bullying the same way we do in other places,” the company mentioned in a blog post.
Instagram has been pushing out updates to its app right and left. The desktop app recently received support for a carousel view of Stories. Now, it looks like the company is working on overhauling the design of its Stories on the mobile app. Instagram has confirmed that it is working on Vertical Stories, which will give it a more TikTok-like feel. As of now, users browse Stories through horizontal swipes and taps. The navigation was picked up from Snapchat. Now, the social media app is inclining towards the look and feel of TikTok.
Vertical swiping is how you interact with the web and browse websites and most of the social media apps including Facebook, YouTube and Instagram’s own feeds. It is likely a more natural form of navigation than taps and horizontal swipes. TechCrunch reports Instagram confirmed the development of the feature. Further, the company would likely prioritize video posts over images to better compete with TikTok in the “Vertical Stories” feed. The new feature was also spotted by the developer Alessandro Paluzzi.
As you can see from his screenshot, the text reads: “Now you can swipe up and down to browse stories“ and then a big, blue button labeled “Vertical Stories. That said, the feature is not yet live, and he dug up the feature in Instagram’s code. “This is an early prototype and is not currently testing on Instagram,” a company spokesperson told TechCrunch. The feature isn’t out for public yet.
It must be noted that the presence of Instagram Vertical Stories is a prototype and it doesn’t mean the product will launch in public. However, it does reveal where Instagram is going with its approach. The vertical feed is already enabled in Instagram’s Reels. When you click on the Reels video here, you’re taken to a new vertical user interface.
Instagram has been on an update streak. While it has been updating the design and overall look of the mobile app, the desktop version isn’t being ignored. The latter received support for DMs last year. Recently, it was reported that Instagram is testing a new interface to view its Stories on desktop. Now, the feature has allegedly gone live. When you get the update, the navigation will remain the same, but you will start seeing a new look for Stories that as of now, appear in a single tile.
As per The Verge, Instagram is updating its Stories feature on desktop so that it opens up to show a carousel of videos. It previews what’s cued up next and the content that just played. Here, viewers can click on whatever story they want to watch. This might be a minor change but it would be particularly beneficial for those who use Instagram on a desktop on a regular basis.
Up until now, browsing Stories from your desktop hasn’t been ideal. The Stories appear in a single tile that takes up the entire page. However, it is now changing. Instagram has started rolling out a new interface for Stories on a desktop. With the new look, Stories appear in a carousel rather than a single tile. The navigation remains the same – you can let the Stories play automatically or manually click through them. There is no option to swipe to the next person’s story.
That said, it is now easier to keep track of where you are in your Stories queue. You can now view the last few people’s stories and the next few in a queue, while a single story appears in front of you. The new interface of Instagram on the desktop makes it a cleaner user experience. We hope Instagram is also working on its iPad app.
Following the chaos that erupted yesterday when Pro-Trump supporters laid siege to the US Capitol Hill, social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook removed a widely-condemned video from Donald Trump citing a risk of violence and for going against their policies. It was followed by a temporary one-day suspension of his accounts. Now, Facebook (as well as Instagram) has gone a step further and has disabled Donald Trump’s account indefinitely. The news was announced by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself in a lengthy post that you can read below:
“The shocking events of the last 24 hours clearly demonstrate that President Donald Trump intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor, Joe Biden. His decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters at the Capitol building has rightly disturbed people in the US and around the world. We removed these statements yesterday because we judged that their effect — and likely their intent — would be to provoke further violence. Following the certification of the election results by Congress, the priority for the whole country must now be to ensure that the remaining 13 days and the days after inauguration pass peacefully and in accordance with established democratic norms. Over the last several years, we have allowed President Trump to use our platform consistent with our own rules, at times removing content or labeling his posts when they violate our policies. We did this because we believe that the public has a right to the broadest possible access to political speech, even controversial speech. But the current context is now fundamentally different, involving use of our platform to incite violent insurrection against a democratically elected government. We believe the risks of allowing the President to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great. Therefore, we are extending the block we have placed on his Facebook and Instagram accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks until the peaceful transition of power is complete.”
Now, the term ‘indefinitely’ is quite broad, but Zuckerberg’s statement does hint that Trump’s account might remain suspended until the transfer of power to president-elect Joe Biden is successfully over. Instagram head Adam Mosseri tweeted that an Instagram suspension will remain in place for at least the next two weeks.
Given the exceptional circumstances, and the fact that the President has decided to condone rather than condemn yesterday’s violence at the Capital, we are extending the block we have placed on his accounts indefinitely and for at least the next two weeks.
Twitter placed a 12-hour suspension yesterday, but has hinted that Donald Trump’s account will be permanently banned if any more serious violations are recorded. It now remains to be seen if Twitter follows in the footsteps of Facebook and Instagram, and disable Trump’s account until the process of power transfer is complete to prevent any further mishaps.
Instagram has been pushing out updates to its app continuously. While it has been updating the design and overall look of the mobile app, the desktop version isn’t being ignored. The latter received support for DMs last year. Now, Instagram is testing a new interface to view its Stories on desktop. As per a report, the navigation will remain the same, but you will start seeing a new look for Stories that as of now, appear in a single tile.
The latest development comes from a report via Engadget. The publication reports that a spokesperson confirmed the test. The new Stories interface started appearing to a “small group” of Instagram users last month. However, the spokesperson didn’t comment on when it might be more widely available. Plus, it is not clear exactly how many users are seeing the new look.
As of now, browsing Stories from your desktop isn’t ideal. The Stories appear in a single tile that takes up the entire page. However, it might change in the coming months. The company has started testing a new interface for Stories on a desktop. With the new look, Stories appear in a carousel rather than a single tile. The navigation remains the same – you can let the Stories play automatically or manually click through them. There is no option to swipe to the next person’s story. That said, it is now easier to keep track of where you are in your Stories queue. You can now view the last few people’s stories and the next few in a queue, while a single story appears in front of you,
Further, there is no confirmation if the change will be permanent. However, if this change rolls out to a wider audience, it will make Instagram on desktop a cleaner user experience. It would be particularly beneficial for those who use Instagram on a desktop on a regular basis.
Instagram Lute was launched in June 2018 in some parts of the world. Back in May, it was shut down but it came back in September 2020. Now, the company has launched its Lite variant in India. It comes as good news for those of us who haven’t gotten used to the new home tab layout and want the old one to come back. Moreover, Instagram Lite doesn’t have the Shop and Reels buttons in the navigation bar.
The new app is less than 2MB in size. It has been created to bring the core Instagram experience to people who are unfamiliar with the app. As per Instagram, it conducted a research in India earlier this year to ascertain the attractiveness and comprehension of new products. It observed that there was a common barrier of ‘compromised internet experience’ because of low memory phones and heavy apps. India is primarily a test country for Instagram Lite. The app is only available on the Google Play Store for now.
I downloaded the app, and while the core experience is similar to the main Instagram app, several new features are missing. For instance, there is no support for Reels, Instagram’s answer to TikTok. Plus, there is no Shop or IGTV. Moreover, the navigation bar has the old layout with the search tab at the bottom, which was recently replaced by the Reels tab. Essentially, Instagram Lite is the old version of Instagram. Additionally, it doesn’t support some stickers like the ‘Ask me Anything’ one.
Guys there is a way to get rid of Reels on Instagram! #TIL Just download Instagram Lite. No Reels. Old home tab layout
Instagram Lite will be available in Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu. The company has also announced the second version of ‘Born on Instagram’ which is aimed at providing collaboration and mentorship opportunities to content creators. The new developments were announced a the two-day Facebook Fuel for India event.
The calls for breaking up big tech have been raised for a while now, primarily citing their towering influence, how they’re outgrowing regulatory checks, and simultaneously killing the competition. The concerns have gathered steam lately, with multiple senate calls grilling CEOs of these giants over past questionable practices. Today, the US FTC (Federal Trade Commission) took a huge step in exercising its regulatory control over these giants by suing Facebook. Yes, the US FTC is suing Facebook alongside a coalition of over 40 other states for engaging in anti-competitive practices to maintain its monopoly.
In particular, the US FTC is targeting three previous Facebook activities – the acquisition of Instagram, purchasing WhatsApp, and imposing limitations on developers – as a prime example of its unethical approach to choke the competition. Among the solutions the FTC seeks from its lawsuit, the biggest one is undoing Facebook’s acquisition of both Instagram and WhatsApp. What this essentially means is a divestiture should happen and that Instragam and WhatsApp be spun off into separate companies.
Watch this message from FTC’s Bureau of Competition Director Ian Conner re: FTC’s lawsuit against Facebook for illegal monopolization: 12/12 pic.twitter.com/Cj57ACvIGJ
Additionally, the US FTC seeks injunctive relief from the court that will prevent Facebook from engaging in similar anti-competitive practices. The regulatory agency notes that the anti-trust case has been built upon an investigation carried out by FTC staff in cooperation with the Attorneys General of 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam following approval from FTC Commissioners.
“The FTC is seeking a permanent injunction in federal court that could, among other things: require divestitures of assets, including Instagram and WhatsApp; prohibit Facebook from imposing anticompetitive conditions on software developers; and require Facebook to seek prior notice and approval for future mergers and acquisitions,” the regulatory body said in a statement. “Facebook has used its monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.
Lawsuits filed by the FTC and the state Attorneys General are revisionist history: Facebook
Facebook has been accused of neutralizing the competition in its very early stages and eliminating more rivals from scaling up by acquiring them. The prime examples cited for this monopolistic strategy are Facebook’s $1 billion Instagram acquisition in 2012 to gain control over the photo-sharing space of social media, and the $19 billion purchase of Whats/App to reign supreme in the field of instant messaging before WhatsApp could become a threat to Facebook itself.
The FTC lawsuit also cites how Facebook imposes anti-competitive limitations on developers by cutting off access to key interconnection points between their products and Facebook itself. This is in reference to the Facebook-Twitter rivalry back in 2013, when Facebook allegedly cut off API access for Twitter-owned Vine, preventing it from using the ‘find friends via Facebook’ feature.
Facebook backfires at US FTC
Facebook has criticized the twin lawsuits and alleges that after initially giving their nods to the Instagram and WhatsApp deals, the FTC now has a change of heart and that its decision to sue the social media giant will set a wrong business precedent. Facebook goes on to claim that when the matter goes to court, evidence will prove that the company competed on the grounds of merits.
We're reviewing the complaints & will have more to say soon. Years after the FTC cleared our acquisitions, the government now wants a do-over with no regard for the impact that precedent would have on the broader business community or the people who choose our products every day.
“Now, many years later, with seemingly no regard for settled law or the consequences to innovation and investment, the agency is saying it got it wrong and wants a do-over. In addition to being revisionist history, this is simply not how the antitrust laws are supposed to work,” it said in a statement. In fact, Facebook is questioning the regulatory body’s review process itself, expressing surprise over how acquisitions that were approved after lengthy brainstorming are suddenly a subject of antitrust review again.
In its defense, the US FTC notes that the regulatory body can legally challenge transactions that have been closed. “Yes, the FTC can—and often does—challenge consummated transactions when they violate the law,” the agency said on its FAQ page regarding the lawsuit. The US FTC goes on to add that it is not merely challenging the acquisitions, but a multi-year course of conduct in which Facebook has monopolized the personal social network market.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, S20 5G and more devices on sale today
Let’s start today off with deals, cause by this time I should find another way to introduce this segment. Anyways, let’s end the week with some Galaxy Note 20 deals because, why not? The Note 20 Ultra is currently $200 off on Amazon, leaving the 128GB model for $1100, and yes this is the US variant. The Galaxy S20 is also getting $200 deals, that leaves the regular S20 for $800 but, you’ll have to go for the Cloud Pink colorway. Moving on to B&H, the Galaxy Note 10 which is still a pretty good buy is down $250 from its original price tag, leaving it at $700 shipped. Finally, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go is $150 off, leaving that at $759 for the entry level model. We have more deals on other Galaxy Notes, Razer peripherals and more, in the links in the description.
I want to continue the official news on a positive note today so, let’s talk about YouTube and your favorite video every year. The company took to Twitter yesterday to announce that we won’t be getting a rewind next year. They posted a picture explaining how 2020 has been a different year, and they don’t feel like they should treat it like it wasn’t so, they’re taking a break this year. They also said that a lot of good was made this year as creators found ways to switch things up and cheer people so they thank them for making a difference. Now, we know that the Rewind isn’t necessarily people’s favorite video but, I kind of agree with YouTube for taking this position. But like seriously, can you name any particular YouTube rewind that you liked, cause I can’t remember any.
Samsung announces Exynos 1080 5nm chipset for upper mid-range phones
Now how about if we talk about Samsung as the company is sadly not abandoning their Exynos platform, and I doubt that will ever happen now that we got to see what Apple Silicon can do, that said, the company I smaking an interesting move. Samsung has just announced their new Exynos 1080 processor, but before you roll your eyes at me, hold it. This actually seems to be the first Exynos worth talking about, even if it’s designed for mid-rangers, but it actually follows on the 5nm process that’s making Apple Silicon look so good right now.. Exynos 1080-powered smartphones can have support for WQHD+ resolution display with up to 90Hz refresh rate or Full HD+ resolution screen with up to 144Hz refresh rate. As for the cameras, it supports up to 200MP single camera or 32MP + 32MP dual-camera setup or a maximum of six cameras. It also supports HDR10+ and 4K 60ffps encoding and decoding with HEVC. So yeah, technically this chip is to a certain degree more powerful and efficient than even the best Galaxy flagship, but we’ll see how soon we see that extend.
Instagram REALLY wants you to watch Reels and Shop on its app
Now let’s move the spotlight over to what used to be my favorite social network, at least up until Facebook bought it. For those of you, like me, who love Instagram it looks like things are changing.. Again. Can Facebook just leave it alone? The company just announced a new update yesterday which is currently rolling out to users. Basically they are now prioritizing Reels and the Shop, by moving the Likes and Post sections to the top right, next to the DMS and now you get Reels at the center and the Shop where the likes used to be. Both of these features have been a part of Instagram for quite some time but, it looks like they’re really trying to push it now. Instagram has released other major updates this year, like switching to Facebook Messenger for DMs, or adding “Suggested Posts” to the feed. So far, reception hasn’t been so great and I doubt many people are interested in the Instagram Shop for it to switch places with the notification hub. We’ll see how it works out for them, cause yeah, the social network I once used for photos wants to be a mall now?
New iPhone 13 lineup may arrive with a smaller battery
Now let’s talk Apple as yes, happy iPhone day part 2. All of the iPhones are here now, as a matter of fact, we have content coming very soon on the 12 Pro Max and the Mini but, one of the topics people are interested in this year is battery life. The 11 had great battery life because they finally caved and gave us bigger batteries. Thing is that plan shrunk with the iPhone 12 and it sort of makes sense with the 5nm architecture in the new chips. Well, according to a new Ming Chi Kuo report, they’ll be shrinking them again next year. He claims that Cupertino will be using a new battery “soft board” technology for the iPhone 13 and the 13 Mini. This technology helps them save internal space and reduce costs because they have fewer layers than what we currently get, maybe to make the iPhones slimmer or in case they want to bring the headphone jack back. Sadly, this means that Apple is going back to the days were they prioritized slimmer phones over good battery life. Another factor could be that LTPO display we’ll reportedly be getting as it draws less power than current displays. So far, my experience with the 12’s battery has been okay, but it’s definitely not better than the 11 so, let’s hope the 13 isn’t worse than the 12.
Story of the day:
We could get new mini-LED iPad and AirPods 3 in the first half of 2021
iOS 14.3 reveals an icon that hints at the design of Apple’s AirPods Studio headphones
Finally, for the hottest news today, let’s keep talking about Apple and Ming Chi Kuo, mainly because you know that not all the rumors we’ve discussed were launched and we wonder where are those products. Well, let’s begin with the latest developer beta for iOS 14.3 which reveals some interesting things. A developer shared on twitter a “New Pairing” screen video from the Find My App in this beta where there’s a magnifying glass that swivels across some over the ear headphones. Now, there’s no secret that before Apple launches a product, an icon of it pops around somewhere so, it looks like we could finally be getting those AirPods Studios but, according to Prosser those are significantly delayed. But now, moving back to Ming Chi Kuo, his latest research note gives us more information on what Apple plans to do in the first half of 2021. The note mentions that the components destined for a miniLED iPad will be mass produced in the first half of 2021. Now, we’re expecting three different iPads with miniLED displays but, this one should be an iPad Mini or the regular 10.2in iPad, as the 12.9in iPad Pro is slated for Q4 of next year. Moving back to AirPods, he also claims that Cupertino is working on the third generation AirPods which will also go into mass production in the first half of 2021. These will reportedly get a new design to look more like the Pros but, they will still lack Pro features like ANC. If Apple is planning to launch these in the first half of next year, it kinda makes sense for them to launch with the AirPods Studios.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, S20 5G and more devices on sale today
Let’s start today off with deals, cause by this time I should find another way to introduce this segment. Anyways, let’s end the week with some Galaxy Note 20 deals because, why not? The Note 20 Ultra is currently $200 off on Amazon, leaving the 128GB model for $1100, and yes this is the US variant. The Galaxy S20 is also getting $200 deals, that leaves the regular S20 for $800 but, you’ll have to go for the Cloud Pink colorway. Moving on to B&H, the Galaxy Note 10 which is still a pretty good buy is down $250 from its original price tag, leaving it at $700 shipped. Finally, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go is $150 off, leaving that at $759 for the entry level model. We have more deals on other Galaxy Notes, Razer peripherals and more, in the links in the description.
I want to continue the official news on a positive note today so, let’s talk about YouTube and your favorite video every year. The company took to Twitter yesterday to announce that we won’t be getting a rewind next year. They posted a picture explaining how 2020 has been a different year, and they don’t feel like they should treat it like it wasn’t so, they’re taking a break this year. They also said that a lot of good was made this year as creators found ways to switch things up and cheer people so they thank them for making a difference. Now, we know that the Rewind isn’t necessarily people’s favorite video but, I kind of agree with YouTube for taking this position. But like seriously, can you name any particular YouTube rewind that you liked, cause I can’t remember any.
Samsung announces Exynos 1080 5nm chipset for upper mid-range phones
Now how about if we talk about Samsung as the company is sadly not abandoning their Exynos platform, and I doubt that will ever happen now that we got to see what Apple Silicon can do, that said, the company I smaking an interesting move. Samsung has just announced their new Exynos 1080 processor, but before you roll your eyes at me, hold it. This actually seems to be the first Exynos worth talking about, even if it’s designed for mid-rangers, but it actually follows on the 5nm process that’s making Apple Silicon look so good right now.. Exynos 1080-powered smartphones can have support for WQHD+ resolution display with up to 90Hz refresh rate or Full HD+ resolution screen with up to 144Hz refresh rate. As for the cameras, it supports up to 200MP single camera or 32MP + 32MP dual-camera setup or a maximum of six cameras. It also supports HDR10+ and 4K 60ffps encoding and decoding with HEVC. So yeah, technically this chip is to a certain degree more powerful and efficient than even the best Galaxy flagship, but we’ll see how soon we see that extend.
Instagram REALLY wants you to watch Reels and Shop on its app
Now let’s move the spotlight over to what used to be my favorite social network, at least up until Facebook bought it. For those of you, like me, who love Instagram it looks like things are changing.. Again. Can Facebook just leave it alone? The company just announced a new update yesterday which is currently rolling out to users. Basically they are now prioritizing Reels and the Shop, by moving the Likes and Post sections to the top right, next to the DMS and now you get Reels at the center and the Shop where the likes used to be. Both of these features have been a part of Instagram for quite some time but, it looks like they’re really trying to push it now. Instagram has released other major updates this year, like switching to Facebook Messenger for DMs, or adding “Suggested Posts” to the feed. So far, reception hasn’t been so great and I doubt many people are interested in the Instagram Shop for it to switch places with the notification hub. We’ll see how it works out for them, cause yeah, the social network I once used for photos wants to be a mall now?
New iPhone 13 lineup may arrive with a smaller battery
Now let’s talk Apple as yes, happy iPhone day part 2. All of the iPhones are here now, as a matter of fact, we have content coming very soon on the 12 Pro Max and the Mini but, one of the topics people are interested in this year is battery life. The 11 had great battery life because they finally caved and gave us bigger batteries. Thing is that plan shrunk with the iPhone 12 and it sort of makes sense with the 5nm architecture in the new chips. Well, according to a new Ming Chi Kuo report, they’ll be shrinking them again next year. He claims that Cupertino will be using a new battery “soft board” technology for the iPhone 13 and the 13 Mini. This technology helps them save internal space and reduce costs because they have fewer layers than what we currently get, maybe to make the iPhones slimmer or in case they want to bring the headphone jack back. Sadly, this means that Apple is going back to the days were they prioritized slimmer phones over good battery life. Another factor could be that LTPO display we’ll reportedly be getting as it draws less power than current displays. So far, my experience with the 12’s battery has been okay, but it’s definitely not better than the 11 so, let’s hope the 13 isn’t worse than the 12.
Story of the day:
We could get new mini-LED iPad and AirPods 3 in the first half of 2021
iOS 14.3 reveals an icon that hints at the design of Apple’s AirPods Studio headphones
Finally, for the hottest news today, let’s keep talking about Apple and Ming Chi Kuo, mainly because you know that not all the rumors we’ve discussed were launched and we wonder where are those products. Well, let’s begin with the latest developer beta for iOS 14.3 which reveals some interesting things. A developer shared on twitter a “New Pairing” screen video from the Find My App in this beta where there’s a magnifying glass that swivels across some over the ear headphones. Now, there’s no secret that before Apple launches a product, an icon of it pops around somewhere so, it looks like we could finally be getting those AirPods Studios but, according to Prosser those are significantly delayed. But now, moving back to Ming Chi Kuo, his latest research note gives us more information on what Apple plans to do in the first half of 2021. The note mentions that the components destined for a miniLED iPad will be mass produced in the first half of 2021. Now, we’re expecting three different iPads with miniLED displays but, this one should be an iPad Mini or the regular 10.2in iPad, as the 12.9in iPad Pro is slated for Q4 of next year. Moving back to AirPods, he also claims that Cupertino is working on the third generation AirPods which will also go into mass production in the first half of 2021. These will reportedly get a new design to look more like the Pros but, they will still lack Pro features like ANC. If Apple is planning to launch these in the first half of next year, it kinda makes sense for them to launch with the AirPods Studios.
Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) March 9, 2021
(@mosseri) 
