Shift from Android

The new Huawei Pura X smartphone is critical to the Chinese tech giant for various reasons. First, it is the first smartphone to run on the company’s operating system, HarmonyOS 5. Huawei first unveiled the operating system in November 2024 as Harmony OS Next. The system is no longer using the open-source code from Google’s Android operating system.

In China, Huawei is emerging as a fierce competitor of US iPhone maker, Apple. Huawei’s market share in China increased by 16.2% in quarter four of 2024 compared to 13.7% the year before. On the flip side, Apple’s share of the Chinese market reduced from 20% in 2023 to 17.4% in 2024.

Another reason why Pura X is critical for Huawei is the need for the smartphone company to expand its domestic market. Since 2023, Huawei has worked to revive its domestic smartphone business after US sanctions affected its sales. The company has been aggressive in unveiling unusual devices, including a trifold mobile phone, in a bid to differentiate itself in the market.

Huawei’s decision to cut ties with Google’s Android operating system appears to be strategic and significant. In 2019, US-imposed sanctions pushed Google into terminating its partnership with Huawei. The latest decision ensures that Huawei’s smartphone business does not suffer losses in light of the ongoing US-China trade war.

AI Features

Pura X is part of Huawei’s premium Pura brand. Huawei’s Chairman for Consumer Business Group said the device is supported by a range of features including mobile payments and phone calls. The device folds into a compact square, creating a 3.5 inch display with a front camera.

When unfolded, Huawei Pura X has a 6.3 inch display. With a 16:10 aspect ratio, its screen area is wider compared to that of many smartphones in the market. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has also included AI features in Huawei Pura X. The phone comes with an AI assistant called Xiaoyi, which is powered by Huawei’s AI models as well as models developed by Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.

The new smartphone is not does not run on the Android operating system. Pura X is the second smartphone that Huawei has developed on its updated system. The first one is the Mate 70 series that the company launched in November 2024.

A Major Comeback

Huawei’s strong comeback in the smartphone market signals Chinese resilience in the face of US restrictions on technology. In 2023, the smartphone company surprised industry observers when it developed an in-house 5G chip that it used in Mate 60. The company also surprised the world when it unveiled Mate 60 in 2024. Mate 60 is the first trifold phone in the world.

Although Huawei has no access to the most advanced chips, the company claims that its HarmonyOS offers a 40% performance improvement over Android. Earlier this month, Huawei said more that 20,000 native apps and services are already running on HarmonyOS Next. 20 of these apps have already surpassed 2 million downloads. The company is working on shifting all its tablets and smartphones to the new operating system this year.

The starting price of Huawei Pura X is $1,037 (7,499 yuan). This price disqualifies the smartphone from the subsidy scheme offered by the Chinese government. The scheme offers a 15% subsidy for the purchase of tablets, smartphones, and smartwatches with a retail price of 6,000 yuan and below. The foldable smartphone is available in five colors.

The post Huawei Shifts to Android, Launches Foldable Pura X Smartphone on HarmonyOS 5 appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Expansion Plans

Rivian’s EV plant in Georgia is among the strategic investments the company is making to facilitate its expansion. In December 2021, the company announced plans to construct the plant east of Atlanta at an estimated cost of $5 billion.

Rivian’s new factory was expected to manufacture 400,000 vehicles annually at the plant, doubling the capacity from its Normal, Illinois plant. The company was to commence production of its next generation EVs in 2024.

Rivian says operations at the Georgia factory will commence in 2028, four years later than originally planned. Rivian’s Georgia plant is expected to employ about 7,500 people by the year 2030. These employment opportunities are tied to an incentive package approved a few years ago by the Department of Economic Development in Georgia.

Incentive Package

Documents from the State shows the company received an incentive package amounting to $1.5 billion to construct the Georgia plant. However, the company experienced a cash crunch and paused the construction.

The company also changed its initial plans of building its R2 midsize SUVs in Georgia. Rivian launched R2 in March 2024. During the launch, the company announced that the new EV will be produced at the Illinois factory. This change was expected to save the company $2.25 billion.

Months later, Rivian received another incentive package amounting to $827 million from the state of Illinois. This funding was earmarked for the development of R2 SUVs at the Normal plant.

Government Support for EV Makers

The newly approved Rivian loan will be channeled from the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program. This program is under the federal Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office. In recent years, several EV companies have received support from the federal loans program. In 2009, Tesla received $465 million from the program.

In June, the loans program made a $9.2 billion conditional agreement to support a joint venture between Ford and SK to construct two battery factories in the US. Redwood Materials, a battery materials and recycling startup also received a $2 billion loan from the federal loans program. The financing was aimed at supporting the startup’s growth and headquarter expansion in Nevada.

Performance Challenges

Earlier this month, Rivian failed to impress investors after it missed revenue projections for Q3 earnings. The company reported revenues amounting to $874 million compared to $1.3 billion the same period last year. The EV manufacturer attributed the poor performance to disruptions in production and a challenging consumer environment. In August 2024, Rivian suspended production of Amazon.com delivery vans due to shortage of EV parts.

Rivian’s production halt only affected Amazon’s order. At the time, the company said production of other EV vehicles, including the R1T pickup and R1S SUV was not interrupted. Amazon had placed an order for 100,000 electric vans to be delivered by the year 2030.

Rivian has been facing safety problems, supply chain challenges, and reducing demand for electric vehicles as consumers take caution due to uncertainty in battery charging and cost options.

The post Rivian Wins Federal Loan Approval to Complete Georgia EV Factory appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Understanding the
rise of China's OEMs: Key players,
global ties, and future potential

In this new report, automotive industry analyst, Felipe Munoz, analyses the rapidly evolving landscape within China, alongside an overview of the main players emerging from China’s burgeoning automotive industry.

Learn about the key players, global ties, and future potential of Chinese car brands, and access the latest market data and intelligence.

The post Understanding the rise of China’s OEMs: Key players, global ties, and future potential appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Oprah in her recent intention has expressed her fascination with AI’s potential to make the world better. “I’m fascinated by how this technology, AI, is going to be a resource for change and improvements and making the world better. And yet, the other side of it: Who’s in control of it, and what happens when the bad guys get it?” – Oprah added.

The Oprah Gates Altman interview will explore AI’s future impact on society. The one-hour Oprah special show will air on ABC and stream on Hulu the following day.

Here’s what viewers can expect from the show:

The Ethics of AI

In her interview with OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Oprah Winfrey will be seeking to give viewers a layman’s explanation of AI technology, how it works, and ethical considerations on the part of AI companies.

In the past, questions have been raised about the role of AI company executives in ensuring that AI technologies align with societal values. AI companies have also been in the spotlight over ethical issues like AI algorithm biases, copyright infringement, and transparency of AI-driven decisions.

OpenAI has been accused of copyright infringement multiple times. In December last year, the New York Times sued the company for using its articles to train its AI models like ChatGPT.

Viewers can expect these issues to be at the heart of Oprah’s interview with Altman. In this conversation, Altman will likely clarify the immense responsibility AI company executives have in AI development and execution during the show.

Impact of AI on Job Market

Job loss due to AI is a major concern for many and will be a key topic in the upcoming Oprah Winfrey interview with Bill Gates. While AI has the potential to create new job opportunities, it is also estimated that up to 300 million jobs worldwide could be automated by AI, potentially leaving many people unemployed.

In May this year, former Google VP, Prof. Geoffrey Hinton raised an alarming AI warning about AI’s impact on the job market. He said robots and AI will hurt society and leave millions of people jobless. It will take up a big chunk of routine jobs and lead to the disappearance of numerous mid-level and blue-collar jobs.

As she hosts Microsoft’s Co-founder Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey will likely discuss AI-driven innovation in different sectors, including healthcare. The conversation will also focus on AI’s impact on jobs. Gates will likely raise warnings about the effects of AI on routine tasks while highlighting its ability to enhance productivity for white-collar jobs.

AI Capabilities and Challenges

Viewers can expect to hear more about AI potential, capabilities, and challenges throughout the show. Popular YouTube creator, Marques Brownlee, who uses AI to brainstorm video ideas and edit thumbnails will showcase AI capabilities on the show.

Altman will likely share insights and perspectives on the opportunities AI presents including augmenting human capabilities and performing tasks autonomously. He will also discuss the challenges with AI regulation and the threat for large-scale disinformation due to AI model ability to write computer codes.

As a tech pioneer and philanthropist, Gates is expected to share insights on AI’s potential to improve sectors like health, science, and education on the show. He will also discuss the changes that AI could cause in these sectors. Viewers can expect to get a balanced view of AI’s opportunities and challenges in society from his perspective.

AI Risks and Threats

The ‘AI and the Future of Us’ event will help viewers understand the risks and threats posed by AI technology. Oprah’s conversation with Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin will focus on risks associated with powerful AI systems. She will also feature Marilynne Robinson on the show to discuss the AI threats to human values and how to resist its convenience.

FBI Director, Christopher Wray will appear on the Gates Altman interview with Oprah to shed light on emerging security threats, including how criminals and foreign adversaries use AI to advance their agenda.

The “AI and the Future of Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special” show is a production of Winfrey’s Harpo Productions.

The post Oprah Hosts Sam Altman, Bill Gates on Special AI Interview appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to Yahoo Finance, the new You.com funding will enable the AI company to excel whereas other rivals that raise billions fail.

Getting Better

You.com’s founder and CEO, Richard Socher says his company challenges itself to be better than Google. According to Socher, the You.com Google competition would be futile if its based on simple queries that constitute the bulk of Google searches- which include basic facts, references, and conversions.

“People willing to pay for You.com are people that do productive knowledge work. And this is actually where the sweet spot, where the killer app for this technology is- making this a productivity engine, telling these agents when and how to search the internet,” Socher says.

You.com launched in 2021. Since then, the AI-search engine has responded to 1 billion queries and attracted millions of users across tech unicorns, hedge funds, and public companies. Its biggest competitor, Google is currently embroiled in multiple antitrust cases after a US Judge termed it an illegal monopoly.

Idea Behind You.Com

Although the term productivity engine may not define You.com intuitively, the idea behind the AI-search engine is to use natural language to inform the system about what the user wants to know, irrespective of complexity.

“When we first started You.com, we saw an opportunity to reinvent the gateway to everyone’s online journey. Billions of questions were being answered every day with a list of blue links, but our users wanted more. We built You.com to enhance productivity, inspire new thinking, and develop a deeper understanding of the world through human-AI collaboration,” Socher explains.

You.com uses AI agents to help users find the information they need. For instance, a user can ask the system to ‘summarize literature on side effects of paracetamol’. Language models would probably not answer such a question. You.com focuses on performing such demanding tasks. The query is first examined to enable AI agents to find the right information and techniques.

“Our AI agents help millions of knowledge workers be more productive, whether it’s through fast, accurate answers, research and analysis, problem-solving, or content creation,” Socher adds.

Comparable Service

When it comes to business, You.com says its services compare favorably as it continues to grow its paying customer base. This year alone, the AI-search platform has increased its subscriber base fivefold. The company says its AI-search platform is currently serving large companies in the market.

“The unit economies for large enterprise deals are positive, and some companies are using us millions of times per day. Companies are raising money so they can give away their product for free, and ads haven’t really been figured out for chat. We’ve been more careful about this, and we think it’s time for us to scale,” Socher says.

You.com’s latest funding round was led by Georgian. Big tech names like Nvidia, Salesforce Ventures, DuckDuckGo, Day One Ventures, and SBVA participated in the funding round. The new funding is expected to significantly boost You.com’s valuation having brought the company’s total funding to $99 billion.

The post You.com Takes on Google with Complex Queries appeared first on Tech Research Online.

News of German SAAS Ryte acquisition represents a significant change in the digital marketing landscape. The acquisition brings two powerhouses together to redefine enterprise SEO capabilities and website user experience.

Combined Expertise

Semrush has created a robust online visibility management platform. The SaaS platform allows businesses across the globe to optimize their websites for search engines. It provides a range of digital marketing services including content marketing, pay-per-click, social media campaigns, and competitive research campaigns.

Businesses that use Semrush also track results from their online marketing initiatives on the platform. Following the acquisition, Ryte and Semrush will combine their acquisition to achieve new levels of growth.

Ryte Founder, Andy Bruckschloegl said, “We are excited to join Semrush and advance our shared vision for the future of Website User Experience, as well as strengthen Semrush’s cutting-edge Enterprise SEO Platform.”

New Opportunities

Rytes expects its acquisition by Semrush to open new sales opportunities. The startup will be looking to leverage the extensive customer base that Semrush has to achieve this goal. The acquisition presents Ryte with new cross-selling and customer penetration opportunities.

“With Semrush, Ryte seeks to drive innovation, accelerate platform development, and amplify our global presence more rapidly than we could as a standalone company,” Bruckschloegl added.

Semrush sees the acquisition as an extension of its Enterprise SEO Platform. The SaaS company commits to help big companies enhance their online visibility, marketing operations, and productivity.

“We warmly welcome all Ryte employees to the Semrush family and look forward to capitalizing on the opportunities this acquisition brings,” Eugene Levin, Semrush President said.

Good Reputation

Ryte was founded in 2012. The SaaS company helps agencies and companies to optimize website experiences for users. The startup serves companies such as Bauhaus, Hilti, Allianz, and HomeToGo.

“We are entering an exciting phase, and I am immensely proud of the entire Ryte team, particularly my two co-founders, Marcus Tandler and Neils Dorje, as well as our CFO and COO, Jens Mittnacht. Their invaluable contributions have been key to achieving this important milestone for our future,” Bruckschloegl added.

Over the years, the company has built a positive image through its comprehensive suite that enhances search engine optimization, accessibility, compliance, performance, quality assurance, and sustainability for businesses of all sizes.

The post Semrush Expands Enterprise SEO Platform with Ryte Acquisition appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Proof of Concept

Zaplox is a digital guest solutions company. The company commenced a collaboration with Google to create a mobile key proof of concept in Google Wallet. This hotel mobile key in the Google Wallet partnership started in 2023. The mobile room key concept was tested at Bay View Suites in California’s Mountain View area. The suites are owned by Google.

Zaplox CTO, Kim Lood, said, “We are honored to announce the launch of mobile keys in Google Wallet. This launch demonstrates our vision of delivering next-generation technology and proves that when visionary minds unite and work together with the latest technology, we can truly leave a mark on the industry.”

Zaplox leveraged the BLE technology to develop Strawberry mobile keys.

First in the World

Clarion Hotel Post becomes the first hotel to launch Strawberry mobile keys in Google Wallet.

“Becoming the first hotel in the world to offer mobile keys in both Google Wallet and Apple Wallet is a testament to our commitment to enhancing the guest experience at every touchpoint and underscores the importance of collaborating with industry-leading technology partners,” Strawberry Strategic Growth VP Christian Lundén said.

The NFC mobile keys allow guests to place their room keys on Google Wallet. This allows them to access hotel facilities and unlock their rooms with digital keys.

Exceptional Experiences

Development of the Strawberry NFC mobile key comes after the announcement of mobile keys via Apple Wallet was made last summer. According to Strawberry’s Strategic Growth VP, Christian Lundén, hotel guests are always looking for positive experiences.

“We are constantly striving to deliver exceptional experiences and a seamless guest journey, and the launch of hotel keys in Google Wallet is an important step on that journey. This is exactly what hotel guests are looking for and expect, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this next-generation mobile key solution through our strong partnerships. The initial response from the hotel guests has been very positive,” he said.

HTEC Conference

The launch of the Strawberry mobile keys Google wallet comes at a time when the HITEC conference is going on in North Carolina. Conversations on how technology can be used to humanize the hospitality industry took center-stage in the conference.

Mews founder, Richard Valtr, says the focus should be on providing positive experiences to guests. Not just giving them a place to sleep. The greatest obstacle to achieving this is the cold first impression guests receive.

“A check-in is a process. You give me the [credit] card. You give me your ID, and I give you a key card so you can access the room. One of the things we’ve thought very, very passionately about was that we wanted the experience of coming to a hotel not to be a check-in, but a welcoming, because that’s what’s human and natural,” Valtr said.

Technological solutions like Strawberry mobile keys address this problem. With digital keys, guests can bypass front desks and access their rooms directly.

The post Clarion Hotel Post Launches Strawberry Mobile Keys appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Companies can do this while safeguarding their brands. Adobe Express is powered by Adobe Firefly genAI service. It’s a one-stop-shop AI content creation app that allows users to ideate. Users also use it to design and share videos, social media posts, flyers, logos, and other content formats fast and with ease.

New Features

Businesses need captivating visual content to stand out. These include social media posts and marketing assets. They also include emails, flyers, and presentations. Adobe Express is designed to place generative AI at the fingertips. During the Adobe design event, the company unveiled more Adobe Express features.

These included presentation and print features that allow users to design anything from anywhere with ease. Its AI-powered custom models, reference images, and bulk create and generate features are supercharging users. They are helping users to achieve more.

Adobe’s Digital Media Business President, David Wadhwani said, “The new Adobe Express is built for business, making it easy for anyone in an organization to design on-brand visual content that drives business outcomes. With Adobe’s responsible approach to AI, strong record of product innovation, and proven ability to deliver products that empower businesses of all sizes, Adobe Express offers an unparalleled combination of deep creative expertise and enterprise credentials business leaders and users can trust.”

Adobe Express also comes with Firefly Image 3 Model and locked templates’ capabilities. These features allow businesses to protect their brands. Adobe software also enhances collaboration between creative studio teams, business users, and agencies.

Real Use Cases

Marketing leaders from leading brands attended the Adobe event. These included IBM and Unilever. Nonprofits like Limbitless Solutions and 100 Cameras participated in the event. Teams from these brands shared their experiences with Adobe Express.

They showcased real use cases and product demos to bring their experiences to life. Social media teams are using the software to automate content quickly. Sales teams are using Adobe designs to customize shareable videos and pitches with ease. Regional marketers reported using Adobe software. They used it to repurpose content for different cultures, contexts, and languages.

IBM’S Senior VP of Marketing and Communication said, “Marketers are looking for trusted AI that seamlessly integrates into their work. Adobe Express for Enterprise is empowering marketers at IBM to create on-brand content aligned to business objectives that delivers compelling, personalized experiences to targeted audiences.”

High Adoption

Adobe said strong product innovation guided its software design during the Adobe Design Made Easy event. This innovation has attracted leading brands.

Unilever’s Global VP for Consumer Experience Technology, Aaron Rajan said, “Over the last year, we have been pioneering the use of AI technology like Adobe Firefly and Adobe Express with all our marketers worldwide, helping responsibly create and scale on-brand content for our 400 brands across 100+ marketers and 3.2 billion consumers who use our brands every day.”

Dentsu, the world’s biggest advertising agency network, empowered marketers to use Adobe Express. The company registered a 70% faster time to market as a result.

Adobe said its software resulted in a 96% increase in monthly active mobile users. The company also recorded an 86% increase in cumulative creations generated annually.

The post AI-Powered Software Carries the Day at Adobe’s Design Made Easy Event appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Ticketmaster is a digital ticketing platform, and Santander is a consumer bank. The two companies are among the biggest Snowflake customers. After the Snowflake password breach, many corporate clients are worried. They fear their cloud data could have been stolen.

Snowflake serves big global corporations, like hospitals, banks, and tech firms. The company analyzes and stores huge volumes of data, including client data, in the cloud.

Confirmed Breach

Live Nation, Ticketmaster’s parent company, reported that hackers stole personal details. The details belonged to more than 550 million clients. The details include names, phone numbers, addresses, and credit card credentials. Santander has also seen its client data stolen.

According to the bank, the data belongs to customers in Latin America and Spain. The bank also lost personal details of 200,000 past and current employees, including 20,000 from the UK. ShinyHunters, a cybercriminal group, has claimed responsibility for the Snowflake customer data leak.

The group is demanding a $2 million ransom from Santander and $500,000 from Ticketmaster. The two companies have not named Snowflake. However, it said it’s aware of unauthorized access to some of its customer accounts. There is no evidence of a direct breach of its systems.

“We have not identified evidence suggesting this activity was caused by a vulnerability, misconfiguration, or breach of Snowflake’s platform. We have not identified evidence suggesting this activity was caused by compromised credentials of current or former Snowflake personnel,” Snowflake said in a statement.

Unsecured Accounts

The cloud data management company attributed the breach to a Snowflake info-stealing malware. This type of malware scrapes passwords that users save from their computers.

“This appears to be a targeted campaign directed at users with single-factor authentication. As part of this campaign, threat actors have leveraged credentials previously purchased or obtained through info-stealing malware,” Snowflake added.

Snowflake stores sensitive data for its customers. However, it allows each customer to manage the security in their environment. Its system settings don’t require customers to automatically use multi-factor authentication. The lack of multi-factor authentication let cybercriminals access customer data.

Some customers may have set up their environments without extra security. This made them more vulnerable.

Compromise on Snowflake Accounts

The company confirmed that it has evidence of a Snowflake customer password breach. The breach was on the company’s own accounts. The company said an unauthorized actor had accessed personal details. They did this through a demo account. The account belonged to a former Snowflake staff member.

According to the company, its demo accounts did not have multi-factor authentication protection. Its corporate accounts were not linked to the demo account. Snowflake has asked its customers to put in place multi-factor authentication immediately.

Customers should establish network rules. They should also reset access credentials and rotate them from time to time. Snowflake is working with Mandiant and CrowdStrike to investigate the cybersecurity threat.

The post Did Unsecured Accounts Lead to Snowflake Customer Password Breach? appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Lenovo’s Global Vice President and CMO of Intelligent Devices Group and International Markets, Emily Ketchen said the tech giant is cognizant of the need for a healthy digital balance to ensure mental well-being.

“With huge advancements in AI and smarter technologies, now is the time to explore and pilot creative new ways to use technology like AI thoughtfully and responsibly, for the greater good. Lenovo is uniquely positioned to lead here.” Ketchen said.

Rising Anxiety 

Across the world, youth experience challenges reconciling the lives they live online and with those in the real world. Stats show that two-thirds of Gen-Z youth experience a disconnect between their offline and online selves, leading to anxiety and loneliness. About half of Gen Zs find it easier to express themselves online. About 60% desire to have difficult conversations with loved ones in real life. Lenovo’s ‘Meet Your Digital Self’ project seeks to address this challenge.

“The type of AI innovation in Lenovo’s ‘Meet Your Digital Self’ social experiment shows promise as a way generations with different understandings of online personas can meet and understand each other,” Sarah Kendrick, Mental Health Innovations Clinical Director said.

Lenovo AI Avatars Experiment 

Lenovo’s ‘Meet Your Digital Self’ is a groundbreaking social experiment, the first-of-its-kind. The tech giant leveraged its wide tech portfolio to pioneer Lenovo-powered AI avatars on personal computers, software solutions, cloud, and mobile phones. This combined tech approach brought life to online personas of Gen Z participants through the use of lifelike digital avatars that can have natural, unscripted conversations.

In the experiment, AI avatars powered by Lenovo resembled every participant. However, they were built to respond to conversations real-time. Depending on the discussion, they can vary their tones, facial expressions, and movements. To achieve this, the avatars were trained based on the data provided by the participant’s digital persona.

Gen Z participants had impactful conversations between them, their family members, and the Lenovo AI avatars. These conversions may never have happened in real life. Through real-time conversations with Lenovo-powered AI avatars, family members got valuable insights about their Gen Z relatives. This enabled them to understand their Gen Z loved ones better and reconnect with them in real life.

Strategic Partnerships 

Lenovo plans to take Lenovo AI avatars global through the ‘Meet Your Digital Self’ project.

“Ultimately, we hope that through our ‘Meet Your Digital Self’ social experiment we can spark meaningful conversations that contribute to the mental wellbeing of individuals and communities worldwide,” Ketchen added.

The company already partnered with organizations like Shout in the UK, Anata no Ibasho in Japan, and Crisis Text Line in the US and Puerto Rico. These partnerships are aimed at expanding mental health resources and support to a wider audience.

The post How Lenovo AI Avatars Could Address the Youth Mental Health Challenge appeared first on Tech Research Online.

For over a decade now, wearable technology has advanced significantly with fitness trackers, smartwatches, and augmented reality glasses becoming extremely popular. Smart rings are poised to take wearable devices a notch higher. Though much smaller than other wearables, digital rings are increasingly changing the way people interact with technology. They offer advanced solutions for lifestyle enhancement and provide users an unobstructed way to track health metrics and access information without the need to carry bulky devices.

Digital rings come with a stylish appearance that easily makes them the preferred option for tech-savvy consumers. These aspects place wearable technology rings at the top of wearable technology market innovation according to a MarkWide Research Report. In this article, we delve deeper into what digital rings can do and the benefits they offer users.

What Are Smart Rings?

Smart rings are wearable electronic devices that are fitted with mobile components such as NFC chips and sensors. These stylish but compact wearables are worn on the finger and are capable of performing electronic tasks like receiving notifications, tracking health metrics, and making contactless financial transactions. The best smart rings feature multiple technologies including:

1. Sensors

This technology enables wearable technology rings to track varying parameters. Some of the sensors that are fitted in digital rings include optical or infrared sensors to monitor pulse or heart beat, gyroscope sensors that detect balance, 3-axis accelerometer sensors to track movement and sleep, and EDA sensors to track cognition, emotions, and feelings. Other sensors that come with smart rings for health include SpO2 which monitors oxygen levels in the blood, NTC thermistor which tracks body temperature, and glucose sensors which monitor blood sugar levels.

2. Near Field Communication (NFC)

NFC refers to wireless connections that utilize magnetic field induction to enable communication between devices that are located in close range. NFC technology works effectively with common applications in laptops, smartphones, access cards, digital wallets, transport cards, point-of-sale terminals, and many others.

3. Bluetooth

This technology syncs the data that’s collected by sensors, allowing smart ring companies to analyze and generate user-friendly reports and personalized recommendations to users. These give further smart health and wellness promotion plans based on data, which are particularly unique to each user. Such integration makes the technology useful and easy to use and thus the concept improves user experience.

What are the Uses of Smart Rings?

Digital rings are used for different applications. Health and fitness are the most common applications in the market with Apple smart rings set to lead in monitoring health metrics while Oura smart rings and Samsung smart rings are perfect for tracking daily activities and nightly rest. Other practical smart ring capabilities include:

1. Contactless Payments

Digital rings like K Ring and McLEAR are already paving the way for contactless payment systems. Rings with these capabilities allow users to tap and make transactions of amounts that don’t exceed MasterCard and Visa global contactless payment terminals. Countries such as the Netherlands, the U.K., France, Japan, Australia, and Russia already have banks that allow smart ring contactless payments for debit and credit payments via activated MasterCard and Visa payment terminals.

2. Smart Key

Digital rings that are fitted with optical sensors can replace conventional keys or access badges or cards by working as smart keys that open homes, offices, and cars. These capabilities improve security systems as taking the ring off the finger halts access and ensures that no one can access your home, office, or the car you connect to the smart ring. Tesla smart rings are great examples of the convergence between smart and digital rings. The rings allow users to lock, start, and unlock a range of Tesla models including Model Y, Model 3, and Model S 2021.

3. Transit Pass

Various NFC smart rings come with tap-to-pay card readers that passengers can use to access transit gates, allowing them to serve as tickets or travel passes in public transportation. The rings work like stored-value cards, holding monetary value and making it readily available during travel without requiring third-parties from network connections or credit/debit accounts. A good example is the K Ring that provides transit passes for most rail services in London as well as Transport for London services.

4. Device Control

Wearable digital rings allow users to control devices like smartphones remotely. Users can improve their productivity and reduce screen time by using them to receive messages, control music, get call notifications, and set alarms remotely.

What Are the Benefits of Wearing a Smart Ring?

In addition to their tracking capabilities, wearable technology rings offer users a range of benefits that include:

1. Gesture Control Capabilities

Digital rings come with tiny sensors that support gesture control. This allows users to interact with other devices, including smart home appliances by waving their hands. This feature enhances accessibility to technology and supports home automation.

2. Better Privacy and Safety

Although wearable devices function the same way, digital rings have an edge when it comes to privacy. The absence of screens means that your information remains inaccessible to those around you. Wearable technology rings also come with SOS features or panic buttons that can alert emergency services or predefined contacts when a user is in distress. In critical situations, these features can save lives.

3. Less Cumbersome

Digital rings are more comfortable to wear because of their lightweight and compact design. They provide a seamless and intuitive experience to users who prefer to use them for fitness tracking and contactless payments.

4. Longer Battery Life

Smart wearable rings have no screens. This reduces their power consumption significantly compared to other wearable devices like fitness bands and smartwatches. The majority of digital rings have a battery life of 3 to 7 days compared to fitness bands and smartwatches whose batteries last for 1 to 2 days.

5. Valuable Jewelry Pieces

Smart rings are both technology and jewelry pieces. When you get one, you wear it on your finger every day. There are varying ring styles to choose from, and you can opt for a minimalist, sleek, or more noticeable design. Whatever style you go for, the aesthetics that come with wearable rings make them valuable jewelry pieces that enhance your look.

What are the Best Smart Rings Available in the Market?

These smart rings are on the way to becoming the next big thing in wearable tech. At the top of this list are Samsung Galaxy Ring, and Oura Ring. Both of them have features that are special for fitness, health, and ecosystem compatibility that suit various customers. Samsung Galaxy Ring vs Oura Ring was one of the main topics of debate between tech enthusiasts. Here are a few major differences between the two:

Future Outlook

With the rising demand for discreet and convenient wearables, the future of smart rings looks promising. These innovative wearables blend fashion, technology, health, and finance. There’s no doubt that moving into the future, the powerful features they offer will inevitably shape our interaction with technology.

These smart rings are not just capable of tracking your vitals but also allow you to do other tasks like answering a call without the need for a hand. Owing to their flexibility and operational simplicity, they stand out as a favorite in the continuously shifting wearables category.

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Instagram over the years has brought many updates/features to the social media app. The update and features had made it a great and easy-to-use app. Today, Instagram is the go-to app for content creators to publish their content online. Content Creators affiliates, influencers, and the company promote themselves on these platforms while other users use the platform for content consumption and browsing.

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, on the IG broadcast announced that they will begin rolling out the feature in the United States. He further added that it will only be available to public accounts. Creators may turn off this feature and prevent their material from being downloaded. It is unclear whether the reel download feature will be available on all devices, and it will be worth watching.

How Do Instagram Reels Work?

The Instagram Reel was introduced on August 5, 2020, and is a method to make and discover short, amusing videos on the platform that is controlled by Meta. Instagram Reel enables users to record, edit, and share 15-second multi-clip Videos with audio, effects, and fresh design tools. Then, through Explore, these can be made available to the larger community as well as shared with followers on Feeds.

How to Download the Reels?

Simply, hit the Share symbol on a reel you like and choose Download. Reels shared by private users cannot be downloaded, and public accounts can disable the ability for others to download their reels in Account Settings.

Mosseri did not explain in his announcement whether the downloaded reels will bear IG’s watermark, as is the case with TikTok video downloads and YouTube clips. YouTube began including its branding in downloaded’ shorts’ to prevent cross-platform video sharing.

Instagram has 2.35 million active users globally. But since this feature is just for the US, Instagram can soon roll out this feature to the remaining countries. This can add to the popularity of Instagram and can increase its user base significantly.

The post Instagram Now Allows Users to Download Reels on Their Devices appeared first on Tech Research Online.