Bosch says it's developed production-ready LiDAR sensors for use in vehicles. It's hoping to keep costs down by making them at scale. That way, it might be able to offer them at a lower price and bolster more widespread adoption of autonomous driving systems.
LiDAR is the final piece of the sensor puzzle for Bosch's self-driving ambitions. The company said it designed the sensors for all autonomous driving use cases.
Laser-based LiDAR systems piece together a high-res, real-time 3D map of the surrounding area, which car systems can use to better understand everything happening nearby and react accordingly. The sensors work in concert with radar and cameras to help cars navigate with optimal safety.
Bosch isn't the only company working on LiDAR sensors, but it's a major supplier. If it can keep a tight lid on production costs, it could help make semi-autonomous and fully autonomous cars more affordable.
Last year, Luminar unveiled a LiDAR system that's said to cost less than $1,000 for production cars. Waymo also said last year it'd start selling LiDAR sensors, possibly for less than $5,000 each. Those are significantly cheaper than some other sensors, which have cost up to $75,000 over the last few years. It's not clear when Bosch will start selling its own sensors or how much they'll cost, but at the very least more competition should help drive down LiDAR prices.
Meanwhile, Bosch said it recently implemented artificial intelligence in its self-driving camera tech. It can detect and categorize objects and measure their movement. It can also recognize "partially obscured or crossing vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists quickly and reliably." This, Bosch suggests, should help driver assistance systems trigger a warning or enable emergency brakes more effectively if needed.
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The Galaxy S11 has leaked and leaked and leaked. This article is a roundup of everything we know so far. There’s much to love, but a couple of changes fans will hate. That said, my overriding opinion is Samsung has a potential game-changer on its hands. These are the reasons why.
Tip: this article will be regularly updated, so bookmark it (01/01 new updates below)
Samsung Galaxy S11 render based on multiple leaks
Ice Universe
Codename - The Galaxy S11 range is known as Picasso. Why would Samsung name the phone after a great artist? Because the headline change will be to the camera. That said, this breaking news will also generate a lot of attention...
12/31 Update: Ice Universe has revealed Samsung has decided to change branding and call the Galaxy S11e the Galaxy S20, the Galaxy S11 the Galaxy S20+ and is considering calling the Galaxy S10+ the Galaxy S20 Ultra. These seem unnecessary alternations to me, but it looks to be final.
01/01 Update: Ice Universe has doubled down on this new naming scheme. He has retweeted a tweet from one case maker who was given a heads up to change their accessory artwork in line with the new S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra branding. If correct, it's a controversial move from Samsung.
Camera - Ice Universe has revealed the Galaxy S11 will add a 48MP telephoto lens to the range. This is capable of 5x optical zoom and is suitably codenamed ‘Hubble’. It will sit alongside a 48MP wide-angle lens, a ToF flight sensor and a massive 108MP primary camera which uses pixel binning technology that bins nine pixels to create one large 2.4μm pixel with a 12 megapixel final image size. This should lead to dramatic improvements in low light photography. It’s codename is the ‘ISOCELL Bright HM1’.
12/30 Update: The final design of the Galaxy S11 camera has been revealed by reliable insider OnLeaks, confirming a far more symmetrical camera layout than in early prototypes. The square lens contains the telephoto camera.
Galaxy 11 'final' camera design according to reliable insider @OnLeaks
OnLeaks
(Note: You can see a render of an earlier Galaxy S11 prototype in the Display section below)
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Display - Samsung is introducing a class-leading 120Hz display to make up for missing the high refresh rate bandwagon that already started this year. The company is also significantly increasing screen sizes (which should be offset by the smaller bezels. This is what you’ll get:
6.4-inch Galaxy S11
6.7-inch Galaxy S11+
6.9-inch Galaxy S11 5G
Galaxy S11 render based on multiple leaks (front is accurate, rear camera modules questioned)
12/26 Update: Ice Universe has attained protective covers for all three Galaxy S11 models (S11e, S11 and S11+) allowing us to compare their respective sizes. It also confirms the virtual elimination of the top and bottom bezels and newly centred punch hole for the front camera.
Newly leaked screen protectors show the minimal bezel and screen size differences on Samsung's ... [+] upcoming Galaxy S11 range
Ice Universe
Performance - The Galaxy S11 will use Samsung’s newly unveiled Snapdragon 865 which has 20% faster graphics rendering than the Snapdragon 855 in the Galaxy S10 and 35% more power efficiency. There’s also upgraded LPDDR5 smartphone memory (30% faster, 30% more efficient). The bad news is the Exynos-equipped version could yet drag all this down.
Connectivity - The Snapdragon 865 has 5G baked in so it will come to every Galaxy S11 model. WiFi 6 will also come as standard and Samsung is retaining the microSD expansion slot (though not for the entry level Galaxy S11e) The bad news: the headphone jack has gone, which is not surprising after it was ditched by the Galaxy Note 10.
Biometrics - Samsung is not expected to introduce a Face ID rival, but it will add a supersized Qualcomm 3D Sonic Max fingerprint sensor to the Galaxy S11 which is 17x larger than the sensor used in the Galaxy S10 (making placement more instinctive). The sensor will also support two fingerprints at the same time which will deliver a significant increase in security which can be reserved for crucial moments, like the completion of financial transactions or logging into a banking app.
Qualcomm's 3D Sonic Max in-display fingerprint reader is a dramatic step forward
Qualcomm
Battery Life - Another major upgrade. While 5G will consume more battery life, Samsung looks set to more than offset this with massive capacity upgrades
Downsides - the Galaxy S11 looks set to have all the bad points of the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus: for the S11e that means no microSD while every model will lose the headphone jack.
Update: 12/29 - Ice Universe states there are two release dates tipped for the Galaxy S11 launch: February 11 and February 18. He says "I believe more in the former."
The buyers of electrified cars and SUVs typically purchase those vehicles to save money or to have a lower impact on the environment. The BMW 745e plug-in hybrid is a bit different. With a starting price of $95,550, it's definitely not catering to the frugal. It does reduce your carbon footprint, but not as much as I'd like.
The BMW 745e takes BMW’s top-of-the-line tech and fuses it in a truly luxury package that’s quick. It’s traffic-jam system is outstanding and CarPlay issues seemed to have been solved. Sadly, the electric-only range feels subpar and makes you wonder if you’re paying too much.
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The 745e brings some eco-friendliness to the automaker's high-end sedan via a battery pack that with up to 16 miles of EV range. In combination gas and electric mode, it has a 56 MPGe versus 22 MPG (in gas-only mode). Like most BMWs, the 7 Series is built for speed and to pamper its occupants. The 7 Series is BMW's pinnacle of comfort, opulence and technology. Yet with all that it has going for it, the 745e's electric-only range leaves something to be desired and overall it's a bit overpriced.
But those issues melt from your mind while behind the wheel. The 745e's 6-cylinder in-line engine is coupled with an electric motor that (together) pushes out an impressive 389 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. While driving, you'll never want for additional power. Put the hammer down and the 7 Series happily fulfils your desire for acceleration. The eight-speed Sport Steptronic transmission translates all that torque into acceleration that never seems to produce the jarring of a gear change.
While bombing down the highway or cruising city streets, the vehicle's suspension smoothes out any cracks, ruts or holes in the road. Importantly, it glides over them without jostling the vehicle's occupants. Cornering is a mixture of composure and smooth sophistication. The 745e is a large sedan and BMW has done a bang-up job reigning in a majority of the heft during tight cornering. It doesn't compete with the impressive road-sticking power of the 8 Series, but it'll have you feeling confident on winding roads.
The boldness in engineering wavers a bit when it comes to the 12.0kWh battery pack's range. In electric-mode, the 745e is rated for 16 miles. In the real world, that's more like 12-13 while cruising. It's not horrible, until you think about the sticker price of the vehicle. For just shy of 100 grand, a range of at least 20 miles would seem more reasonable. By comparison, the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid Sport Turismo gets 30 miles between charges. Sure that battery pack is lugging around a lot of car, but if you're building a state-of-art plug-in hybrid, give driver's a bit more to crow about to their friends.
Fortunately, the tech inside that car should help owners gloss over the battery range. BMW's iDrive system is still top-notch. A bonus is that BMW recently announced that it will no longer require a subscription for CarPlay. New owners should be dancing in the street for not paying a yearly rate for something that's essentially free in other vehicles.
Another bit of CarPlay news: After having issues with BMW's wireless connection in the last few vehicles I tested, I was able to connect and use my iPhone with the feature without issue.
The rest of the infotainment system works well with additional screens in the back including an Android tablet with controls for climate and media. It's next-level fancy and I'm here for it.
Also on the tech front, with each use of BMW's hands-free traffic jam assistant, I became more enamored with the system. At low speeds in traffic and on a freeway, the system allows for true hands-free driving as long as you keep an eye on the road ahead of you. It reduces the stress and cognitive load of driving in the Bay Area's increasingly dense gridlock. The in-car monitor does a good job making sure I'm paying attention and the on-wheel lights keep me informed of the feature's status. I will admit that even though I can keep my hands off the wheel at speeds up to 37 miles per hour, I still have at least one hand on the controls.
At the heart of the system are the adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assistant features that, while not as robust when it comes to tracking lanes as offerings from Tesla or Mercedes, is a solid system. Tesla and Mercedes are better at keeping their respective vehicles in the center of a lane even around sharper highway curves. BMW is getting better at this, but it's not quite there yet. Still, the 745e handled cut-ins with grace and tracked the center of a lane well in all but the sharpest curves.
All of this is presented in a package that's comfortable, luxurious and has enough room for four tall adults without the persistent cries of "Hey, can I put my seat back?" or "Do you have room?" The interior exudes style combined with a layout that's logical. I was never looking for a button for more than a few seconds -- everything is where it should be. Whether around town or on a long road trip, the 745e delivers a sophisticated mode of transportation. Sadly, the battery pack doesn't offer the pure-electric range that a vehicle of this caliber deserves.
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It’s the end of the decade, and you’re seeing plenty of retrospectives rounding up the last ten years of smartphones, and tech in general – but what about the future, and the tech advances it might bring? How could smartphones change in the next ten years?
We’ve looked at a few trends of the 2010s, and in particular 2019, and guessed at where these trends could go by the year 2030. We’ve looked at everything from foldable phones to USB ports and 6G.
It’s worth pointing out that this speculation could end up being totally, totally off, as guessing tends to be, so come 2030 the smartphone industry could be totally different to how we suggest here.
Foldable phones in the future
The foldable Samsung Galaxy Fold (Image credit: TechRadar)
Foldable phones really entered the public eye in 2019, with multiple devices like the Samsung Galaxy Fold and Motorola Razr 2019 launched (although the latter wasn’t available to buy during the year), and they’re only going to get more popular as more devices are released.
So, by 2029, could we all own foldable phones? Well, that depends on how phone companies navigate the next few years. At the moment, foldable phones are largely considered interesting gimmicks, but ones that most people (other than tech fans) wouldn’t consider buying as their next phone.
This is because of how pricey they are, and also because software hasn’t been developed that really makes the most of the form factor.
So if the next few years brings foldable phones that are affordable and, more importantly, vital for certain functions, people will leap on board. Ten years is a long time, and it’s highly likely that foldable phones will become affordable and useful pretty soon, but that depends on how willing people are to ditch the tried and trusted form factor of ‘normal’ phones.
Will 5G and 6G be popular?
The 5G LG V50 ThinQ (Image credit: LG)
5G is already out and about in several countries, although at the close of 2019 it still remains to be seen how long it will take for people to get on board with the tech. Its added speed doesn’t mean much for people in high-speed areas, where 4G is already faster than most people need, and no apps have been launched that really make the most of the high-speed connection.
But in the coming years, companies will launch more 5G phones and fewer 4G phones, following the pattern of every new generation of connectivity, to the point where it’s ‘normal’ to buy a 5G phone, just as you’d buy a 4G phone now.
That’s less because people need a high-speed phone, and more just because most of the devices on shelves will be 5G, with few (or no) 4G options
Towards the end of the decade, we could even see mentions of 6G (Donald Trump has already been demanding it), but we’ll have to see how much people take to 5G, and if we really need even faster connections, before knowing for sure.
The future of front-facing cameras
The Samsung Galaxy A80 with a pop-up array (Image credit: Future)
One of biggest differentiating features between different smartphones nowadays is the front-facing camera – does your phone have a big notch like an iPhone, a teardrop notch like plenty of phones use, a punch-hole cut-out like many Samsung phones, a pop-up like several companies have embraced, or something else entirely?
Well, it’s possible that future phones will have none of the above – the front-facing cameras could actually be under the display. Oppo has shown off this tech already, and it’s likely other companies are working on it too. This method removes the front snapper from view, so it won’t take up screen space but also won’t take up lots of internal space either (like pop-ups do).
So what about the camera itself? Towards the end of 2019, we've seen a few smartphones use two front-facers, one to take a picture and a secondary snapper for depth sensing, for more accurate background blur.
In the next few years, and especially into 2030, we’d expect this trend to get more established – selfies are one of the main types of picture you’ll take on your phone after all. Phones could even introduce an ultra-wide front-facing camera for group selfies, with a depth sensor or software that can create background blur for a whole group.
Goodbye ports
An Oppo prototype with no ports (Image credit: Future)
Many phones are dropping the 3.5mm headphone jack already, and those things will be ancient history by 2030 – it would be a surprise if many phones even in 2020 kept the port. As more users flock towards wireless headphones over wired ones, the amount of phone users who need to physically plug their headphones into their smartphone will reduce, and in ten years, after years of advances in Bluetooth technology, we’d be surprised if many people use wired headphones at all.
More uncertain is the presence of a USB port to plug your phone into a computer or charger. We’ve already seen a few prototype phones without this port, as handsets can rely on wireless charging to power up and Wi-Fi, mobile data or NFC options to send information and files to a computer.
It’s likely as wireless chargers get more popular and, more importantly, faster at powering up your device, people will rely less on physical wires, making a port more and more redundant. In that way, it echoes the use of wireless headphones, and in 2030 portless smartphones could be the new normal.
More rear cameras?
The Nokia 9 PureView with five rear cameras (Image credit: Future)
While you may think the future will bring you phones with plenty of smartphone cameras, far more so than now, that might not end up being the case: there are only so many different kinds of lens, so we’ll soon reach a point where adding more lenses adds nothing new.
No, in fact, the real change will likely be megapixel count – at the end of 2019 the highest resolution in a smartphone is 108MP in the Xiaomi Mi Note 10, but it looks like a number of phones in 2020 are gearing up to match that. In ten years, though, that number could be through the roof.
Well, at least five times nearer the roof. Scientists have estimated that the human eye sees roughly 576MP, but that’s assuming perfect vision with an image right by your face, so if you’re looking at a phone at arm’s length and don’t have flawless vision, that number is higher than you’ll ever need.
So people don’t need cameras with incredibly high megapixel counts, and it would be a surprise if phone companies decided to even reach 576MP. Saying that, advances in megapixel count will almost certainly be more pronounced in 2030 than the number of rear cameras.
Samsung has fired a shot in a brewing 8K standards war by announcing that its 8K QLED TVs will be among the first to be certified by the fledgling 8K Association (8KA) sometime next year. That means the sets will hit a minimum 7,680 x 4,320 resolution (twice that of UHD), while peaking out at 600 nits of brightness and supporting HDMI2.1 and HEVC (H.265) standards. That could include models like Samsung's rumored bezel-free Q950T.
The certification is important, as Samsung will be able to promote its 8K TVs as being validated by the 8KA, complete with a logo. "Our goal is to provide consumers with the ability to easily identify premium 8K displays from other devices when making purchasing decisions," said Samsung Display VP Hyogun Lee.
While this might sound like a non-controversial announcement, there's a lot going on behind the scenes. At IFA 2019, LG made clear that it didn't think Samsung's 8K TVs conformed to a true 8K spec, even though it had the correct number of pixels, according to Forbes. It believes that Samsung's QLED pixels are not clearly distinguishable from one another, so the effective resolution is lower than 8K. Naturally, it thinks its own 88Z9 OLED and LM99 LCD TVs are sharper and do meet a true 8K standard.
LG's 88-inch 88Z9 OLED TV
While companies like Samsung, Panasonic and Hisense are part of the 8K Association, LG notably is not. Rather, it based its assertions on measurements from the International Committee for Display Metrology (ICDM). That group has devised a "contrast modulation" test that displays alternating one-pixel-wide white and black lines, then effectively counts the lines. The more that appear, the clearer the image on an 8K TV.
Experts on resolution both inside the Samsung camp and outside don't necessarily agree with this. The measurement doesn't take color data into account and Samsung said it set up its 8K TVs not by counting pixels but by looking at the actual image. And the ICDM recently made a statement that watered down LG's claims.
While standard disputes aren't that spicy, this information does matter to buyers. We'll all be relying on groups like the 8KA for 8K TV purchases, just as we did on the UHD Alliance for 4K sets. As such, it's important that they're neutral and subservient to consumers, not manufacturers. All that said, none of this will matter in the foreseeable future, as 8K sets are still crazy expensive and there's virtually no 8K content.
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Microsoft has been warning us that this day would come. And now, it’s almost here. Windows 7 end of life lands on January 14, 2020. After that deadline, Windows users running older versions of the desktop operating system will face a difficult choice – cough-up for a hefty bill to upgrade to Windows 10, or brace themselves for some dangerous risks on their home PC.
By ending support for the ageing Windows 7 operating system, which was first launched back in July 2009, Microsoft will stop rolling-out updates with new features, security updates or protections against malware. That means any issues with the software – or any new vulnerabilities discovered by cybercriminals – can be leveraged from indefinitely. Less serious, perhaps – but this also means any annoying bugs or glitches that crop-up will also be immortalised in the operating system.
If you’d like to benefit from the latest security protections and anti-virus solutions from Microsoft, you’ll have to update your machine to an operating system the Redmond-based company does support – namely, Windows 10. Although Microsoft has offered free upgrades to users running official versions of its operating systems in the past, that’s not possible at the moment.
We’ve heard from a number of loyal readers who swear there are still ways to upgrade to Windows 10 from Windows 7 for free using tools provided by Microsoft, however representatives from Microsoft tell us that its no-cost upgrade offer expired on July 29, 2016 and there is no officially sanctioned way to update your machine without paying.
The firm also says that for the vast majority of Windows 7 users, moving to a new device with Windows 10 preinstalled is the recommended path – not upgrading the operating system on the older hardware.
"Today’s PCs are faster, lightweight yet powerful, and more secure, with an average price that’s considerably less than that of the average PC over nine years ago," Microsoft said in an email sent to us.
If you’re still pretty fond of your old computer and don’t like the idea of upgrading the hardware simply to ensure that Microsoft supports the operating system that you’re using – it could be a costly update.
Those wanting to install Windows 10 Home edition on their current hardware will need to pay £119.99 which is licensed to one PC. And that's the cheapest available option.
The price to upgrade your PC spirals to £219.99 for Windows 10 Pro and a jaw-dropping £339 for Windows 10 Pro for Workstations. If you’re thinking about using the money from your Christmas cards from nan for a bit of summer sun – think again. At £219.99 for the upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, Microsoft’s argument about moving to a new notebook, with all the benefits of a new display, trackpad, keyboard, and most importantly of all, battery – makes a little more sense.
It’s unclear whether the US company will offer any kind of price cuts, discounts or promotions nearer to the final deadline. But as of now, you’re looking down the barrel of a pretty hefty bill if you want to upgrade.
It’s worth noting that Microsoft does offer some concessions around its Windows 10 upgrade. For example, people with accessibility issues are able to upgrade to the new operating system, which offers better support and a number of new features designed to make using the software easier for these users, without paying the upgrade fee.
Explaining more about the end of Windows 7 and why it is no longer offering updates, the US firm said: "Microsoft made a commitment to provide 10 years of product support for Windows 7 when it was released on October 22, 2009. "When this 10-year period ends, Microsoft will discontinue Windows 7 support so that we can focus our investment on supporting newer technologies and great new experiences.
"The specific end of support day for Windows 7 will be January 14, 2020. After that, technical assistance and software updates from Windows Update that help protect your PC will no longer be available for the product.
"Microsoft strongly recommends that you move to Windows 10 sometime before January 2020 to avoid a situation where you need service or support that is no longer available.
"You can continue to use Windows 7, but after support has ended, your PC will become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Windows will continue to start and run, but you will no longer receive software updates, including security updates, from Microsoft."
