Report: Apple won't host event to announce New iPad Pro, iPad Air, and MacBook Air

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While Apple has a wave of new iPad and Mac hardware on the horizon, including potential releases this month, the company won't be hosting a dedicated launch event.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple will instead announce the new iPad Pro, iPad Air, and MacBook Air via press releases and online marketing materials, including website updates, videos, and campaigns.

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Qualcomm confirms Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 launch date, teases features

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Qualcomm's next flagship chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, is on the horizon. It's slated for an October 2024 release at the Snapdragon Summit, following the established pattern, as the Gen 2 and Gen 3 launched in October of the previous years.

Rumours suggest the Gen 4 will boast TSMC's 3nm process and upgraded performance cores. Don McGuire, Qualcomm's chief marketing officer, confirmed it will get Qualcomm's custom Oryon CPU (as seen in the Snapdragon X Elite). And he hints at a significant Neural Processing Unit (NPU) upgrade.

Leaks point to a potential 4GHz clock speed, exceeding the Gen 3's 3.30GHz. While specific details remain under wraps, history suggests performance and efficiency improvements are likely. On-device generative AI capabilities, a highlight of the Gen 3, are also expected to see enhancements.

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Apple’s former hardware engineering leader Dan Riccio to retire soon

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Dan Riccio, who led Apple’s hardware engineering for over two decades, plans to retire soon, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported. Riccio joined Apple in 1998 and became the Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering in 2012. He oversaw the design and development of almost all of Apple’s products, from the first iMac to the latest iPhones, M1-based Macs, and AirPods Max.

In 2021, Riccio stepped down from his role and handed it over to John Ternus. Riccio then took on a new project at Apple, which Gurman said was the Vision Pro headset, a mixed-reality device that combines virtual and augmented reality.

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ZTE unveils affordable Nubia Neo 2 5G gaming phone

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Building on the success of its predecessor, ZTE unveiled the Nubia Neo 2 5G at MWC 2024, a budget-friendly gaming phone with a surprising price tag of only US$199 (around CA$270).

Targeted at gamers who want solid performance without breaking the bank, the Neo 2 boasts several impressive features for its price. It has a large and smooth 6.72-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, ample storage options of up to 256GB, and a long-lasting 6,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging. While the specific chipset remains undisclosed, the phone packs an 8-core CPU clocked at 2.7GHz.

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