Tech Wrap July 2: Nothing Phone 3, Sony Bravia Projectors, Vivo X Fold 5

Nothing Phone 3 pre-booking begins in India. Sony launches Bravia Projector 9 and Projector 7. Nothing Headphone 1 launched. Vivo X Fold 5 to launch soon. Affordable MacBook might release soon

Nothing Phone 3 pre-booking starts in India

 

Nothing has launched its Phone 3 smartphone, calling it the company’s first true flagship smartphone. Priced at Rs 79,999 onwards, the Nothing Phone 3 is now available for pre-booking in India. General availability of the smartphone begins July 15.

 

Sony launches Bravia Projector 9 and Projector 7 in India

 

Expanding its Bravia line product portfolio in India, Sony has launched two new projectors: Bravia Projector 7 and Bravia Projector 9. Both these models are powered by the Bravia XR Processor, which the company said optimises projection similar to Bravia TV video processing. Key features include 4K visuals with 120 fps support, graphic upscaling to near 4K quality, compatibility with IMAX Enhanced content and more.

 

Nothing Headphone 1 with KEF tuning launched in India

 

British consumer technology brand Nothing has launched its first over-ear headphones, the Nothing Headphone 1, in India. Priced at Rs 21,999, the Headphone 1 will be available starting July 15, with introductory offers on launch day.

 

Vivo X Fold 5 with Zeiss camera, 6000mAh battery to launch in India soon

 

China’s Vivo has announced that its next-generation book-style foldable smartphone, the Vivo X Fold 5, will be launching in India soon. Though the company has not released the launch schedule, it has revealed key specifications of the smartphone including AI-powered features and battery capacity.

 

Apple reportedly planning low-cost MacBook with iPhone chip

 

Apple might be planning to launch a more affordable MacBook model, powered by an iPhone chip. According to supply chain analyst Ming Chi Kuo, the said MacBook is going to be powered by the Apple Silicon A18 Pro chip, which debuted on the iPhone 16 series. 

Dell launches Alienware Area-51, Aurora gaming desktops

 

  Dell has launched two Alienware-branded gaming desktops in India – the Alienware Area-51 and Alienware Aurora. Powered by the Intel Core Ultra 9 K series, the desktops are designed for gaming with enhanced thermals and advanced customisation options. The company said that Alienware Area-51 marks the return of the brand’s flagship desktop, whereas the Alienware Aurora (2025) is crafted for a wider range of gamers, from first-timers to pro-level streamers, in a more compact form.

 

Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL: What to expect

 

Google is likely to launch its next flagship smartphones, the Pixel 10 series, in August, with leaks suggesting major upgrades across performance, display, and camera. While the company has yet to confirm the launch or model names, alleged specifications of the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 pro XL reported by Android Headlines offer an early look at what to expect.

 

Meta introduces direct messaging in Threads, adds new features

 

Meta’s Threads app has introduced two major updates, direct messaging and a new visual Highlighter feature, marking a significant step from an Instagram-linked service to a more independent social platform. The new direct messaging feature will allow users to engage in private, one-on-one conversations, while the Highlighter feature is designed to enhance content discovery by showcasing trending topics and notable perspectives.

  OPPO Reno 14 series, Pad SE to launch on July 3

 

OPPO is set to launch the Reno 14 series smartphones and Pad SE tablet in India on July 3. Both these devices were initially launched in China, and are now on their way to the Indian market. Therefore, the Indian-bound models of these devices are expected to retain the specifications of their China counterparts.

 

Call of Duty Mobile Season 6: 'Gundams Arrive' update rolls out on July 3

 

American video game publisher Activision is set to release Call of Duty: Mobile Season 6 — Gundams Arrive update on July 3. This update has been made in collaboration with the Gundam franchise. It introduces new operator skins, weapons, animations, and limited-time Gundam team deathmatch mode. The new update will go live at 05:30 am IST on July 3. Activision has announced what’s new in this update in a blog post. Below are the details.

 

X experiments with AI bots for writing Community Notes

 

X (formerly Twitter) has launched an experiment to allow artificial intelligence chatbots to generate Community Notes, its user-driven fact-checking feature. The move is aimed at improving the platform’s ability to tackle misinformation swiftly while maintaining human oversight for transparency and reliability.

 

Samsung to introduce unified security and privacy hub with One UI 8

 

Samsung appears to be working on a new privacy and security feature called “Alert Center”, which could debut in its upcoming One UI 8 software update. As reported by Android Authority, this centralised hub is designed to help users manage sensitive app permissions and device safety alerts more effectively, all in one place.

 

POCO F7 5G review: Gaming-focused smartphone with a marathon battery, but

 

Chinese smartphone maker POCO expanded its F-series in India with the launch of POCO F7. The performance-focused smartphone boasts specifications aimed at catering to gamers. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, paired with 12GB of RAM, and packs a 7,550mAh battery. Moreover, it has a “IceLoop Cooling System” to deliver sustained performance even during the most intense usage, the company claimed. Available at Rs 31,999 onwards, the POCO F7 5G seems to be a lucrative deal. Is it? Let us find out.

 

OpenAI offers custom AI consulting services to clients at $10 million+

 

OpenAI has begun offering highly customised artificial intelligence (AI) services starting at $10 million, according to a report by The Information. With early clients reportedly including the US Department of Defense and Southeast Asian app Grab, this move positions the tech firm in direct competition with consulting giants like Palantir and Accenture.

 

RailOne super app launched

 

In a move to make train travel more seamless and user-friendly, Indian Railways has introduced a new “SuperApp” called RailOne. This all-in-one platform consolidates all railway services into a single app, aiming to simplify travel for India’s 7 billion annual railway passengers.

 

Ed-tech cos embrace AI bots to solve learners' doubts fast, and at scale

 

There comes a time in the life of every student when notes, friends, and Google, all fail you in your quest for that perfect answer to an academic question. What then is one supposed to do? The answer, not surprisingly, is artificial intelligence (AI). With its ability to scour the vast reaches of the internet, it is able to collect, reason, and present the answer, usually fairly accurately.

 

How a Chennai-base face recognition firm helped Bihar use mobile voting

 

On June 28, Bihar created history by becoming the first state in India to implement mobile phone-based e-voting during local body elections. This landmark achievement was driven by two mobile voting applications, one each developed by the Bihar State Election Commission (SEC) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Hyderabad, and a facial recognition system provided by Chennai-based tech startup FaceTagr.