Tech News Roundup: A Week of AI, Foldable Phones, and Metaverse Musings
This week in tech saw a flurry of activity, from impressive financial reports to exciting new product launches and some significant behind-the-scenes shifts. Let’s dive into the highlights.
Alphabet’s Strong Q4 and AI Focus
Alphabet, Google’s parent company, reported a strong fourth quarter of 2024, with a 12% year-over-year revenue increase to $96.47 billion. This contributed to a total annual revenue of $350 billion, a 14% increase. Google Services led the charge, generating $84.1 billion in revenue – a 10% increase – driven by strong performance in search advertising and YouTube ads.
CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the company’s significant investment and progress in artificial intelligence (AI), highlighting the launch of DeepSeek as a prime example of their AI advancements. He expressed optimism about the future of AI, emphasizing the decreasing costs of AI implementation and the vast array of potential applications this unlocks, implying that this is driving significant investment in this sector. The overall message was one of continued growth fueled by AI innovation.
ASUS Unveils the Zenfone 12 Ultra
ASUS entered the high-end smartphone market with the launch of its Zenfone 12 Ultra. Marketed with an emphasis on sleek design and user-friendly features, the phone boasts a 6.78-inch FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate (boostable to 144Hz for gaming).
The camera system is a standout feature, including a 50MP main lens, a 13MP ultrawide lens, and a 32MP telephoto lens with optical image stabilization (OIS). A 32MP front-facing camera with a 90-degree field of view completes the package.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor (similar to the Samsung Galaxy S25 series), the Zenfone 12 Ultra also features several AI-powered enhancements like AI Tracking for video recording and AI Portrait Video 2.0 for improved subject focus. Available in Sage Green, Ebony Black, and Sakura White, the phone is currently available in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Europe at a price of approximately $1,143 USD.
Nothing Teases the Phone 3a Camera
Nothing, known for its unique designs and marketing strategies, created anticipation for its upcoming Phone 3a (launching March 4th) with a cryptic teaser image. The image showed a glowing white side of the phone, accompanied by the tagline, "Your second memory, one click away."
Speculation online focused on the possibility of a physical camera button on the Phone 3a, similar to the iPhone 16 series. This would be a unique feature for an Android phone, potentially allowing for more intuitive camera control and switching between shooting modes. If true, this innovative approach could set the Phone 3a apart from its competitors.
Huawei’s Multi-Fold Phone Enters the Global Market?
Huawei, a significant player in the Chinese mobile market, hinted at a global launch for its multi-fold phone, possibly the Mate XT Ultimate Design. The company’s teaser emphasized the innovative nature of the device. Images in the teaser suggest a Z-shaped design. Its unique selling proposition will be the three different configurations it allows for — A standard phone mode with a 6.4-inch OLED display; a partially unfolded state offering a 7.9-inch experience; and when fully unfolded, a tablet mode with a 10.2-inch display. Huawei highlights this last mode as having an aspect ratio resembling the “golden ratio” (16:11) and a 3K resolution.
Previous launches have shown that this innovative device would offer a unique multi-fold experience not seen in other available product. If it does launch globally, it could be a significant contender in the premium smartphone space.
Meta’s Metaverse Year and VR Leadership Change
Meta’s internal memo, leaked this week, indicated 2025 is to be a pivotal ‘make-or-break’ year for their Metaverse ambitions. Andrew Bosworth acknowledged the massive investment so far, along with the risks associated with their metaverse projects – including Horizon Worlds. Reality Labs (Meta’s VR division) has already reported billions of dollars in losses.
Adding to the uncertainty, Meta’s VP of VR/MR, Mark Rabkin, announced his departure from the company, citing family health reasons. Rabkin has long been a significant figure associated with their VR efforts, having played a key role in the development of the Meta Quest headsets. His replacement, Ryan Cairns, is expected to assume the role in early March. This leadership transition comes at a critical juncture for the company.
Other Notable Tech News
Several other notable tech stories emerged this week including, but not limited to, updates on new chip technology, further developments in electric vehicle markets, growth in gaming and esports, and announcements for various software updates across different tech categories. These stories, while not as prominent, still represent significant happenings across various categories within the technology sector.
This week’s tech news showcased a wide-ranging landscape with advancements in AI, exciting hardware releases, and the ongoing challenges in the metaverse. The coming weeks promise more revelations and developments, and we will be sure to continue providing such summaries.
