Google might finally launch an in-house smartwatch in 2022

Next year might be the year we see Google release a smartwatch it's built. The claim comes from an unidentified person familiar with the matter and an Insider report. Google has its wearable platform since 2014, but this marks the first time the company is venturing into making hardware for the space.

The watch is codenamed Rohan and reportedly developed by Google's Pixel hardware team separate from Fitbit. It is unclear if the wearable will be called the Pixel Watch, but it will serve a similar purpose to the Pixel phones: showing an example to consumers and hardware partners what Google's software can do with the right hardware. It's expected to cost more than a Fitbit and will compete more directly with the Apple Watch, according to The Verge's source.

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Samsung opens regional office in Regina to support 5G deployment in Saskatchewan

Don Morgan, Minister responsible for SaskTel; Jeff Jo, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Canada; Stephen Wiktorski, head of networks for Samsung Canada; Doug Burnett, President and CEO of SaskTel; and Daryl Godfrey, CTO of SaskTel, from left, pose for a photo before a press conference at the SaskTel Collaboration Centre in Regina, Sask. on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021

Samsung Electronics Canada has announced its plans to open a new regional office in Regina, Saskatchewan, to support its collaboration with SaskTel and its commitment to offer 5G wireless services and solutions in the province. The new office will be based in downtown Regina. 

In March, Samsung announced that it would supply all hardware, software, and associated expertise to help SaskTel's 5G solutions deployment. SaskTel intends to deploy its 5G network on a limited basis by the end of the year, with broader deployment plans for 2022 in Regina and Saskatoon.

Source: Samsung

Lenovo Tab P12 Pro can install Android 12L Developer Preview 1

Google is expected to release the first Android 12L Beta sometime this month. Before that, Lenovo Tab P12 Pro users can install its Developer Preview 1. The "Lenovo P12 Pro Android 12L Developer Preview Program" is available directly from lenovo.com instead of from Google. It runs the 2021-11-01 security patch and is supposedly the "first large screen optimized Android OS with new APIs for application developers to provide a better app usage experience in landscape mode, including easier multitasking, system UI optimization, and more." (We're raising our glass for Android 3.0 Honeycomb.) 

Lenovo warns that this DP1 is "intended for application developers only." They can find install instructions here. 9to5Google listed the "limitations" of this preview, and Lenovo says it only works with the Wi-Fi model (Lenovo TB-Q706F).

Qualcomm launches new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip

Qualcomm

Qualcomm recently unveiled its latest SoC, which sports a new name and is expected to arrive on new devices before the year ends. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 focuses on six essential technology you'd expect a mobile chipmaker to concentrate on in 2021. That includes 5G connectivity, camera sensors, AI, gaming, audio, and security.

Its 5G modem-RF can hit up to 10-gigabit download speeds with FastConnect 6900 Mobile Connectivity System, which Qualcomm says surpasses WiFi 6 speeds. For imaging, it gets an 18-bit ISP with better dynamic range, colour, and speeds. It also supports 8K HDR video, a new Bokeh Engine for Portrait Mode-style in videos, and Always-ON ISP that offers low power consumption for tasks like face unlock.

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