Everybody is aware of Intel, Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm’s dominance in the chip market -- but in 2025, MediaTek might make a move to join them. According to Reuters, the Taiwanese chip company seems to preparing an AI PC chipset to launch in late 2025 specifically for Windows PCs.

Currently, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite is the alleged MacBook Air-beating buzz, and MediaTek wants a piece of that pie. As per the report, the new MediaTek chip will reportedly be aimed at the same Microsoft Copilot Plus PC program that Qualcomm helped kick-start with Microsoft.

There seems to be no opening for chipmakers like MediaTek now that Microsoft’s exclusivity arrangement with Qualcomm for an Arm-based version of Windows is finally coming to an end in 2024.

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MediaTek Not Alone To Launch Arm PC Chips In 2025

MediaTek isn’t the only company to take advantage of the lapsed Qualcomm deal; Nvidia and AMD also have plans to launch Arm chips in 2025. But Nvidia’s chip might be partially powered by MediaTek as well. At least that’s what a report from Taiwan’s United Daily News suggests, and Reuters has now confirmed that MediaTek is helping with that separate chip as well. Rumors also suggest that MediaTek and Nvidia might not work with a Steam Deck-sized gaming chip.

Why would Nvidia need MediaTek’s help if it already has its own Arm chip? Well, it could be because MediaTek is a fabless chipmaker, which means it doesn’t manufacture chips itself. Speaking of MediaTek’s own separate chip, Reuters suggests it leverages Arm’s “ready-made designs,” likely adopting Arm’s already-existing processing cores rather than something MediaTek came up with its own.

As far as the ready-made designs are concerned, they might power yet another Windows+Arm competitor for Qualcomm as well. “Executives at Arm have said one of its customers used the ready-made components to build a chip in roughly nine months for a design that is already complete, which MediaTek’s is not,” writes Reuters.

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MediaTek Launched Dimensity Chips For Gaming

MediaTek has launched two new Dimensity chipsets for high-end mobile gaming. The company took the wraps off of the Dimensity 7300 and the Dimensity 7300X, a pair of 4nm chips.

The Dimensity 7300 chipsets allow for multitasking, high-end photography accelerated gaming, and AI-enhanced computing, while Dimensity 7300X is developed with flip-style foldable devices in mind, offering support for dual displays, the company stated.

“The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chips will be important for integrating the latest AI enhancements and connectivity features so consumers can seamlessly stream and game,” said Dr Yenchi Lee, Deputy General Manager of MediaTek's Wireless Communications Business.

Rumors of a cheaper Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset have been going on for several months, sparking anticipation among tech enthusiasts. However, known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now suggested that this lower-cost version won’t hit the market until at least 2027.

Instead, Apple is reportedly gearing up to release an upgraded Vision Pro model equipped with an M5 processor as early as next year. In a recent post on X, Kuo highlighted that the company’s strategy to launch a budget version of its Vision Pro has shifted. “Apple has delayed its plans for a lower-cost Vision Pro to beyond 2027,” Kuo wrote, noting that a new version featuring the M5 chip is planned for 2025.

Kuo also anticipates a budget model for the HomePods mini, which, despite being a more affordable option, did not significantly boost Apple’s smart speaker market share. “Even after launching the cheaper HomePod mini, Apple’s smart speakers failed to become mainstream products,” he stated.

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What To Expect From a Future Affordable Vision Pro

The analyst suggested that simply lowering the price might not be enough to drive success for the headset. The move seems to showcase Apple’s understanding that cost-cutting alone won’t create compelling use cases for new technology.

The budget-friendly version, should it eventually be released, is said to come with a price tag of around $2,000 ( around Rs 1,68,00). To achieve this lower cost, Apple might employ less expensive materials, equip the device with a less powerful chip, and remove features such as  EyeSight—a highlight feature of the current Vision Pro that projects the user’s eyes onto the front display. The quality of the internal displays might also be reduced to maintain a more accessible price point.

Also Read: Apple Launches Smaller, Redesigned Mac Mini: Price, Features

Apple Prioritizing High-End Vision Pro

The first-generation Apple Vision Pro, launched at WWDC 2023, comes with a starting price of $3,499 (approx Rs 2,90,000) for the base 256Gb model. It also offers higher storage options of 512GB and 1TB. The premium headset runs on the company’s in-house M2 chipset and R1 chip and operates using visionOS, supporting both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) functions.

Kuo’s insights suggest that the company is prioritizing the refinement of its high-end Vision Pro lineup rather than rushing a budget model to market. This approach could be tied to ensure robust user engagement and showcasing the practical applications of mixed reality technology before expanding its offerings. The company’s Vision Pro has already rolled out in a few markets, including the US, China, Europe, and Japan.

Samsung could launch a more affordable variant of its flagship Galaxy Z Flip series smartphone dubbed the Galaxy Z Flip FE next year, as per a tipster. The South Korean technology giant unveiled a Special Edition model of its top-tier Galaxy Z Fold 6 in select markets a few weeks ago, but that was priced considerably higher than the standard variant.

Meanwhile, the alleged Galaxy Z Flip FE is said to come with toned-down internals to reduce costs. In a post on the South Korean blogging platform Naver (via Android Authority), tipster @yeux1122 hinted that the company might be developing a more affordable variant of the Galaxy Z Flip series. The said device is expected to hit the market in 2025.

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What To Expect From Affordable Galaxy Z Flip FE

While its launch date remains unknown, the tipster claimed that it would be a “simultaneous release,” suggesting that it could make its debut alongside the next-generation Samsung foldable - the purported Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 — in the latter half of the year.

This development delves upon the recent announcement during Samsung’s Earnings Call for Q3 2024 where they said they are exploring “ways to lower entry barriers so that more customers can experience foldable products.” This suggests the potential development of more affordable versions of the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold series smartphones in development.

Moreover, the tipster also hinted that Samsung might launch two more devices next year: Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim and an additional model in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 series. While the former has a tentative launch timeline of “before and after” April 2025, the latter is speculated to be a simultaneous release, which means it could be another smartphone making its debut alongside the company’s seventh-gen foldable.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S25 Leak Hints At Dimensions Of Three Models

Samsung Could Launch Triple-Screen Foldable Phone In 2025

Huawei swept headlines when it unveiled the Mate XT earlier this year. This might be the beginning of the dual-folding triple-screen phones, although it’s currently limited to China. So, when will other brands release their own commercial devices?

Well, ZDNet Korea (via SammyGuru) reports that Samsung is planning to release a triple-screen foldable phone next year. And it seems like the pieces are in place for mass production.

“Samsung Display’s partners have also completed the development of parts for the trifold model and are already ready for commercialization,” an industry insider was quoted as saying by the outlet. “Of course, the final release of the product depends on the decision of Samsung Electronics’ MX division, so we will have to watch the trend a little more closely.”

People have started receiving their orders of Amazon’s first color e-reader, the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition, and many claim they are seeing a yellow, discolored strip at the bottom of the display. Complaints about the $279.99 e-reader’s display have spread online and dragged down its Amazon star rating, and Amazon tells The Verge it’s aware of the issues.

A Reddit user posted a thread with images, saying it’s pretty obvious when the Kindle “is supposed to be evenly lit and colored like a piece of paper.” Several others with the same issue say they have exchanged their Colorsoft for a new one or simply returned it. Another user said they only noticed it while using the device's edge lighting.

Whether the issue is related to a hardware or software flaw isn’t known, but one user posted a screenshot where a customer service agent appeared to confirm that Amazon is working on a fix for it. Multiple people said in another thread that the issue didn’t appear until after an initial software update.

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What Exactly Is The Issue With Kindle Colorsoft

Amazon spokesperson Jill Tornifoglio confirmed the company is aware of complaints in a statement emailed to The Verge:
 

“We’re aware of a small number of reports from customers who see a yellow band along the bottom of the display. We take the quality of our products seriously and are looking into it. If customers notice this on their device, they can reach out to our customer service team.”

Currently, it’s not immediately clear how widespread the issue is. On Amazon’s website, where the Kindle Colorsoft is sitting at a 2.6-star average rating, a large part of both good and bad reviews point out the discoloration. Of those, some say the yellow line is hardly noticeable, while others say it’s too distracting to keep.

Amazon recently announced the launch of its refreshed Kindle lineup of e-book readers. What’s more interesting is that the lineup includes the Colorsoft Signature Edition, which comes with a colored e-ink display. It claims to offer a week-long battery and costs $279.99.

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Amazon First Colored Kindle With Kindle Scribe

The Kindle series now packs four models: the first-ever colored Kindle, a reimagined Kindle Scribe, the fastest Kindle Paperwhite yet, and a new entry-level Kindle. The entry-level Kindle comes in a new Matcha color with a price tag of $109.99, and it comes with a non-reflective e-ink display with 300 ppi and 16GB of storage.

The Kindle Paperwhite—the fastest according to the company—comes in two variants: the base model with 16 GB of storage at $159.99, and the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition with 32 GB storage for $199.99. Both devices offer water-resistant capabilities with new color options, such as Raspberry Metallic, Jade Green Metallic, and Charcoal Metallic.

Samsung’s much-anticipated Galaxy S25 series is said to be powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipsets, a chip praised for its groundbreaking CPU and GPU enhancements.

However, as first reported by SamMobile, recent tests show potential heating issues that could impact performance, prompting concerns about how the company might handle this in its next flagship.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipsets, which Qualcomm recently unveiled, have already been used for several devices, one of which is the Realme GT7 Pro. Early reviews of this Realme model, including those from Android Authority and Digital Trends, report that the device heats up significantly when performing intensive tasks.

Also Read: Qualcomm Launches Its Fastest Chipset, Snapdragon 8 Elite

Snapdragon 8 Elite’s Heating Woes Could Be An Issue

During GPU benchmarks, reviewers noted that the smartphone’s temperature was up to 46 degrees Celsius, with the device occasionally becoming “uncomfortably hot” to the touch. At this temperature, this phone even showcased heat-related warnings and restricted all functions except for basic calling, which is an uncommon issue for high-end devices.

To address the heating, reviewers tried switching the Realme GT7 Pro from its default ‘Balanced’ performance setting to a ‘Power Saving Mode.’ Surprisingly, this change did little to curb the overheating issue.

Moreover, when benchmark tests were disguised as a different app to avoid any built-in throttling mechanisms, the Snapdragon 8 Elite-backed phone still experienced sharp performance drops after only a few minutes. Despite that, its sustained performance remained notably higher than Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, which leverages the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy.

Also Read: MediaTek Announces New Dimensity 9400 Flagship Chipset

How Will Samsung Curb The Heating Issues

Outside of benchmarking, the Realme GT7 Pro reportedly managed well with demanding tasks such as heavy gaming, hinting that ther overheating may be more specific to graphics benchmarks than to general performance. These findings suggest the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip might produce more heat than its predecessors under certain conditions. This potential drawback raises questions for Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series, which aims to integrate this powerful processor.

To curb the heating issues, Samsung has packed its recent flagship and mid-range devices with substantial vapor chamber cooling systems. These advanced cooling mechanisms have proven effective in preventing overheating in previous models, but the power-intensive Snapdragon 8 Elite might require even more robust thermal management.

If Samsung does use this chipset, the Galaxy S25 could benefit from an expanded cooling design to maintain peak performance without overheating. Given the Galaxy S25’s anticipated popularity, how the company addresses these thermal concerns will be closely watched by industry analysts and consumers alike.

Almost every year, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) introduces updated Bluetooth specs, the wireless connectivity feature that connects smartphones with several smart accessories like smartwatches, earbuds, smart rings, fitness trackers, and much more.

The group has now revealed the specifications for Bluetooth 6.0, a successor to Bluetooth 5.4. With the latest version of Bluetooth, SIG has managed to address some of the long-term concerns of users, and the new version is all about offering upgraded features.

Bluetooth 6.0 is said to bring a new capability dubbed channel sounding, where compatible phones or an accessories can now offer an enhanced low-powered network of wireless devices. Bluetooth 6.0-packed devices can now accurately determine the presence, distance, and direction of another Bluetooth 6.0-powered device, without compromising on security.

Also Read: Huawei Launches New Android-Free Mobile Operating System

How Can Bluetooth 6.0 Be A Game Changer

The result of this innovation can lead to the creation of new-age tracking devices like the AirTag, allowing phone or accessories makers to easily identify and track a linked device. This could also allow for home automation solutions to the auto garage or door unlock within a range, allowing auto access to restricted areas to authorized personnel, and more.

But fret not, Bluetooth 6.0 won’t be used to deliver ads like other social media apps. In this context, the advertising is meant for how one Bluetooth device identifies and interacts with other Bluetooth devices.

Decision-based advertising makes sure that it can automatically decide to scan the secondary device based on the content received on the primary Bluetooth device, which helps with efficiency and can reduce power consumption. Similarly, Bluetooth 6.0 can also monitor and filter out duplicate data, again to improve efficiency. These features will help device developers to improve the user interface and user experience.

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When Can Bluetooth 6.0 Come To Devices

Bluetooth 6.0 can also transfer large data in smaller link-layered packets, and it is known as the Isochronous Adaptation Layer (ISOAL) enhancement, helping in audio products that need low latency.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite is among the first smartphone chips, as per the official listing, that supports Bluetooth 6.0. However, some of the recently introduced phones like the OnePlus 13 and iQOO 13 are still using Bluetooth 5.4. Upcoming phones with the same chip are likely to support Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity.

Similarly, the iPhone 16 series is currently restricted to Bluetooth 5.3, and with the upcoming iPhone 17 series, Apple is likely to jump directly to Bluetooth 6.0. As for earbuds, fitness trackers, and tracking devices, these devices could arrive by early 2025.