December 7, 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

🍎 iPad Pro 2024

💬 Messenger encryption

📱 Year of the foldable

🌟 Meteor shower incoming

UP FIRST

Apple has an iPad surprise planned for early 2024

An OLED iPad Pro looks to be finally on the way

We’ve been hearing rumors of an OLED iPad Pro for the past few years, but early in 2024, Apple will finally give its premium tablet the screen upgrade we’ve all been waiting for, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

It claimed that the next iPad Pro will offer an OLED display along with an upgrade to the M3 chip. There’s also been some chatter about a glass back that allows wireless charging, but nothing concrete has emerged so far.

The report also said that Apple is planning to launch a 12.9-inch iPad Air to go with the current 10.9-inch version, giving customers more choice when it comes to its mid-tier tablet ...

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Messenger finally gets end-to-end decryption by default

The move will make communications more private and secure

Meta is now adding end-to-end encryption for chats and calls on Messenger by default, seven years after launching it as an opt-in feature.

The encrypted conversations offer extra functionality such as the ability to edit messages, and also bring higher media quality and disappearing messages.

Loredana Crisan, head of Messenger, said that it’s taken years to deliver because they want to “get this right,” adding that the team essentially built the Messenger app from scratch.

End-to-end encryption means that messages and calls are protected from the moment they leave your device to the moment they reach the receiver’s device. “This means that nobody, including Meta, can see what’s sent or said, unless you choose to report a message to us,” Crisan said ...

ANALYSIS by Prakhar Khanna

Something amazing happened to folding phones in 2023

There's been 'more activity in the global foldable market than we've seen in the last four years combined'

Samsung has been in charge of leading the foldable segment for too long. For years, Samsung dominated the foldable landscape with little to no competition. But that changed in 2023.

While the company put in the work to improve the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with a bigger cover display, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 seemed to remain an afterthought. Fortunately, other smartphone manufacturers started rolling out more foldable phones globally this year, and now, Samsung’s aren’t the go-to choice anymore. There’s finally healthy competition and choice for folding phones, and I’m so here for it.

Samsung started facing the heat from Google in June with the rollout of the Google Pixel Fold. It introduced a new form factor with a wide cover display and a horizontal aspect ratio on the inside ...

ON THE HORIZON

Geminid meteor shower peaks next week

For the best view, try to find a spot away from light pollution with a broad view of the sky, unobscured by trees, hills, and mountains

Next week offers a chance to catch the Geminids meteor shower, clear skies pending.

NASA describes the Geminids as “the year’s most reliable meteor shower,” with stargazers potentially able to see as many as one meteor every minute.

The Geminids meteor shower peaks on the night of December 13 and the following morning. Viewers in the Northern Hemisphere can look for meteors as early as 9 or 10 p.m., with the greatest number of meteors streaking across the sky between midnight and morning twilight.

Southern Hemisphere skywatchers can also view the Geminids, but they’ll appear at about a quarter of the rate compared to the Northern Hemisphere ...

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