September: Mobile Tech Roundup

There’s always something new happening in mobile technology, it’s hard to find time to read about everything.  To make things easier, we put together a quick tech roundup to keep you in the loop.

Here are the top 5 stories that have caught our attention this month:

New iPhones announced at the latest Apple event and iOS15 drops

September has become synonymous with introducing new iPhones (or four). The virtual launch was streamed from their Cupertino campus and introduced two new ipads, Apple watch series 7 and four new iPhones. The main updates this time around were centred on the new iPhone running on Apple’s new A15 Bionic chip with improvements to the neural engine and a huge overhaul around the camera and video capabilities. The ‘Cinematic’ mode uses machine learning for improved auto focus, the pro series has introduced a macro-mode, bringing the phone in line with typical manual mode cameras.

Following WWDC announcements early summer, iOS15 was released earlier this week, with new features such as a new weather app, maps, improved facetime and Live Text.

One to watch: Google rumoured to release a foldable phone at mid-October event

Apple have made their announcements, next it’s Google’s turn mid-October as they gear up to launch two new Google Pixel devices. This time they’ll be introducing their own processors, a move Apple made some time ago. Google will be hoping to harness every ounce of power out of their bespoke processor in the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6A.

As always, the rumour mill is in full swing pre-launch, with the expectation that an additional Pixel will be announced alongside the others, a new foldable, currently going by the code name: Google Passport. Similar to the Galaxy Fold, but expected to be priced better and will potentially be debuting their first Under-Display Camera (UDC). Samsung patented their specific UDC some time ago, with its first generation making its introduction on the Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Foldable devices are here to stay

A couple of years ago when foldable phones were first being developed, we knew change was afoot, but at the time, the market share for foldable technology was pretty negligible. Fast forward to 2021 and it looks like we’re heading towards a watershed moment, and foldable devices are set to become mainstream. News reports came out earlier this month sharing the news that Samsung were looking to increase production capacity on foldable devices by 50% due to high demand, exceeding their original expectations. We also mentioned earlier that Google, having helped the initial developments of fold technology with Samsung, are releasing their own device in the near future, so it seems it won’t be long before others follow suit.

How will this affect your digital and online product portfolio?

There is no urgent need to make changes, but now is definitely the right time to bring forward the discussion on future development. Foldable devices provide a unique opportunity to double your screen real-estate. Our latest ebook highlights the importance of including mobile technology at the start of your discussion when building a solution, and with this new trend spreading across brands, now is the right time to work with your development teams to re-assess your project specifications.

Android 12’s big release Material You

After much anticipation Android 12 is close to finally being released officially, October 4th is the leaked date. Our developers have been enjoying the Beta version of Material You, Google has historically been quite disparate with their design. Android 12 will have a whole new UI, the biggest change Android has seen in several years. The system will pull accent colours from your wallpaper, streamlining palettes giving your screen a slick look and feel. The widgets have had a makeover and Google apps have been updated to match.

For app developers, as we’ve done for iOS in the past, now might be the time to begin updating software and UI to match the new look. As product owners, just as you need to start considering foldable device UI, it’s also important to reassess your digital language, how native do you want your app to feel? Are you looking for it to stand out or blend in? Most companies will want to sit in the middle, but either way it’s worth considering the changes that will need to be made in the near future.

Microsoft stays on the fold bandwagon with an upgrade to the Surface Duo

Not happy sitting on the sidelines, Microsoft joined the deluge of hardware announcements and shared their news of new surface laptops, accessories and a new phone – the Surface Duo 2. The first Surface Duo didn’t seem to capture as much attention as they would have probably liked, but their latest upgrade has drastically improved its phone capabilities. New Qualcomm chip, supports 5G, runs on Android 11 and has a rear camera module with wide, ultrawide and telephoto lens.

On their plight to pitch this version as the ‘fun phone,’ Microsoft have this time around optimised their apps to provide a better user experience through their double screen. Another sign for those with digital apps or online services, you may need to begin reassessing your products user experience.

That’s it for this months tech roundup! Subscribe to keep informed and we’ll be back with more news next month.

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