July 25 Tech Roundup: HP Laptops, Google Maps, Apple Maps, Phone 2a Plus, and More

5 minutes of reading Last updated: July 25, 2024 | 20:03 IST

HP, the American PC brand, has launched its first laptops based on the Microsoft Copilot+ PC platform in the Indian market. The HP EliteBook Ultra and HP OmniBook X AI laptops, powered by Qualcomm X Elite processors, offer AI features that are limited to the Windows on Arm platform. Both the devices are now available in India.

Google has announced six new AI-powered features for its Maps service in India. The American software giant said that it has built the AI model keeping in mind Indian roads in particular and used satellite imagery and Street View data to estimate the road width. The type of road, distance between buildings, tree cover, poles, and drainage have also been factored in to help four-wheeler drivers navigate narrow roads. Google further said that the new features will also help motorcyclists in two-wheeler mode and pedestrians in walking mode to navigate safely on Indian roads.

Apple has announced the launch of its Maps service on the web for the first time in public beta. Users can access Apple Maps on the web using Safari and Chrome on Mac and iPad, and Chrome and Edge on Windows computers. This is considered significant because for a long time, Apple Maps services were available exclusively on Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. This has ensured that Google Maps remains the leading navigation option for users.

British consumer technology brand Nothing has confirmed that its upcoming Phone 2a Plus will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro. In addition to details about the chip, Nothing confirmed that the Phone 2a Plus will get up to 12GB of RAM and support for virtual RAM expansion (up to 8GB) via RAM Booster technology. Previously, Nothing had confirmed that it would launch the Phone 2a Plus on July 31st.

HMD (Human Mobile Devices) on July 25 debuted the Crest series of smartphones in India with a focus on design and repairability. About the latter, the Finnish phone brand said that both the HMD Crest and HMD Crest Max introduce Repairability 1.0, “making it easier to replace the back panel, battery, display, or charging port. This feature extends the lifespan of the device and reduces electronic waste.”

Apple has announced a “university student offer” where it is bundling AirPods with select Mac laptops and Pencil with iPads at no extra cost. The Indian arm of the American tech giant is also offering a 20 percent discount on AppleCare+ plans. These offers are available now in the Apple Education store and will be valid until September 30.

Jio Things, a subsidiary of Reliance Jio Platforms, has partnered with Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek to offer an Android-based smart digital cluster and smart module with 4G connectivity for two-wheeler (2W) electric vehicles. JioThings said the collaboration with MediaTek for the smart cluster and module for 2W will “revolutionize” the electric vehicle (EV) market in the country.

Western Digital (WD) has announced 2.5-inch portable hard drives (HDDs) with capacities up to 6 TB across its WD line, WD Black and SanDisk Professional. The WD My Passport line of portable hard drives and the SanDisk Professional G-DRIVE ArmorATD with capacities of 6 TB are now available in India.

The OPPO Reno 12 is now available for purchase in India. Launched alongside the Reno 12 Pro, the entry-level model offers AI-powered multimedia editing, text generation, and summarization tools. Priced at Rs 32,999, the OPPO Reno 12 smartphone is available in 8GB RAM and 256GB onboard storage configurations. The smartphone is available in Sunset Peach, Matte Brown, and Astro Silver colors.

Google is rolling out new features to its Google Play store for Android. One of the updates is focused on games. In an interesting development, Play Games users on PC will be able to run two games at once. Players can play one game in one window and another on a different screen. Google Play will allow players to jump from the mobile version to the desktop, while ensuring that progress is not lost.

Facing increasing competition from domestic rival Ola Maps, Google on Thursday announced a slew of new features for Google Maps to attract users in India. They include information on electric vehicle charging stations, flight descriptions and an AI-powered routing feature that aims to reduce the use of narrow roads by four-wheel-drive drivers.

Nvidia, a leading US-based AI chip maker, has started shipping its latest chips, including the GH200 AI, to Indian partners such as Tata Communications and Jio Platforms.

Tech giant Google on Thursday announced six major Maps updates that are intended to address some of the most common issues faced by customers in India.

First published: July 25, 2024 | 20:03 IST